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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24502405">Who Are You Really</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/KisaraMoriarty777/pseuds/KisaraMoriarty777'>KisaraMoriarty777</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Jekyll and Hyde Fanfictions [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Jekyll and Hyde (TV), The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde - Robert Louis Stevenson</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Attempted Murder, F/F, F/M, I am trash for Jekyll X Hyde, LGBTQ Female Character, LGBTQ Male Character, M/M, Murder, Plot Twists, Potions Accident, Rejection, Twisted and Fluffy Feelings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 06:01:43</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>29,004</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24502405</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/KisaraMoriarty777/pseuds/KisaraMoriarty777</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>A Christmas party takes a horrible twist as a body is found brutally murdered. Will Henry be able to find out who killer is before he himself becomes a victim, and is the killer closer than he thinks?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Edward Hyde/Dr. Henry Jekyll, Henry Jekyll/Gabriel John Utterson, Lisa Carew/Lucy Harris</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Jekyll and Hyde Fanfictions [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1770352</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>39</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. September 13, 11:56 P.M, 1887:</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p></p><blockquote>
  <p>
    <span class="u">
      <strong>
        <em>Dear Reader:</em>
      </strong>
    </span>
  </p>
  <p>
    <span class="u">
      <strong>
        <em>I am frantically writing this on what little paper I have been given, with what little candlelight I have left. I can hear him calling me. Nagging me. Screaming at me. He has given me this little time to tell you my story. I feel as though he knows that this story shall let us both live on forever, and that is the only reason he has let me write this. I fear that my time is short, but I beg you, reader, please do not let the events that take place in the document be forgotten! Please, dear reader, for by the time this document is finished, I fear I shall be no more. Do not let my mistakes be forgotten, and do not let anyone, I repeat anyone, repeat the mistakes I have made.</em>
      </strong>
    </span>
  </p>
</blockquote>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Events Of: December 24, 9:00 am – 3:00 pm, 1886:</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p></p><blockquote>
  <p>
    <em>Our story begins on a brisk, freezing winter morning, and it was one I had thought to be a happy one. It had been over four months since my… experiment had failed, and I had been completely withdrawn from society. That is, until November 10<sup>th</sup>, when a good friend of mine had come to visit.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Good god! You are a mess, Henry! How long have you been in your lab for?!” my closest friend, John, asked me. I chuckled sadly.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Oh, about two months now. Well, it shall be two months in three days. Yes, two months exactly,” I admitted. John shook his head.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Henry, Hastie, Richard, and I have seen nothing of you for nearly two months, and we had all begun to fear the worse! What could compel you not to even contact us?” he demanded of me, and so I had told him how my experiment had failed, and how I was far too ashamed to leave my laboratory. John sighed, and told me that though I had tried my hardest, some things were simply not meant to be. He also said that if I wished to, I was welcome to attend a party that was going to be taking place at his estate, on Christmas Eve. I was about to object, however part of me was thrilled to have a reason to leave my laboratory. I agreed that I would attend the party, and with that, John left my house.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>Well, days and weeks passed, and Christmas Eve came sooner than I had thought. I got out of bed, got dressed, and quickly raced downstairs. I had forgotten my watch in my laboratory the night prior, and I was now cursing my mistake. I sighed.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“I do hope I did not sleep in far too late! I cannot be late to the party! Not after John had been so kind as to invite me there!” I cried as I made my way to the kitchen.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Master! Are you quite alright?! Oh my! You look quite distressed!” one of my maids, Molly cried out to me. I smiled at her.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“I am quite fine. There is no need for concern. I was simply worried about being late for the party this evening,” I replied. Molly’s face lit up.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Party?! Oh my! That is wonderful! I am so glad you are going out somewhere, Master!” she yelled out. My butler, Poole, came into the room, a worried look on his face.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Good morning, Master,” he greeted me. “Is everything quite well? I had heard shouts coming from this room?” he asked. I was about to answer when Molly answered for me.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Master is going to a party, Poole!” she screamed. I sighed, and Poole’s expression of worry grew.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“A party? Forgive my rudeness, Master, but wherever at?” Poole asked me. I smiled at him.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“John has invited me to a Christmas party at his estate. I shall be attending this event this evening, so you all may take the evening off as well. After all, it is Christmas Eve,” I told them, before walking off to prepare something to eat.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Master, do you wish us to prepare something for breakfast?” Poole asked as I ripped through the cupboards, looking for something to eat. I smiled kindly at him.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“No, no. It is quite alright. I shall be able to manage this on my own,” I said, dismissing both him and Molly. Poole nodded.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Very well, Master. I shall call a carriage for you, and I shall have Bradshaw collect your bags,” Poole said, before bowing his head and leaving the room. Molly bowed her head as well and left as well. I grabbed something quick to eat, and then checked my watch.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Good god! It is already nine-o-clock! Oh dear! Wait! At what time am I supposed to be at the party?!” I thought, panicking. Of course, I had forgotten to ask John what time the party started! I sighed and reached for the phone. I dialed John’s number and waited for him to answer.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Hello. This is John. How may I help you? If this is concerning a legal matter, I shall have to inform you that I am not in office for the remainder of this week,” John said over the phone. I smiled. He was always so proper.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Hello, John. It’s Henry,” I said to him. John laughed.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Henry! It’s been so long since we last talked! How the devil are you?!” John asked me.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“I am well. And you?” I asked.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Well enough. Well enough,” he replied.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“That is quite good. Now, forgive me for bothering you on this fine day, however, I must ask you a question,” I said to him. John did not reply at first, then sighed.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Henry, if this is about your work, and you not being able to attend the party, I would be disappointed, however, I support you fully,” John replied, sadness clear in his voice. I felt a ball of guilt forming in my stomach.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“John, my good friend, it is not about me not being able to attend the party at all! In fact, it is quite the opposite. I wish to attend the event very much, however, I regret to inform you that I do not know the time of which I am supposed to be at your estate,” I said, my voice nervous. John sighed a sigh of relief and then chuckled.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Oh, Henry! It is not a bother at all! You had me worried! You were going to leave me with Richard and Hastie alone! I need another sane man!” John yelled, and I could not stop myself from laughing.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Another sane man? You and I both know not all would share that opinion. I am quite sure our dearest friend Hastie would not,” I said with a laugh. John laughed again.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Yes, as am I, however, you and I shall be the sanest ones there once the drinks come out,” he told me with a laugh, and I smiled.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“That is most likely true,” I replied. Though I did enjoy a few drinks and had become drunk on more than one occasion when I was working, I knew when to stop if I was at a party, or with others. John could not drink. He had an allergy to the stuff, preventing him from even having a sip of alcohol. The poor lad. Though he told us he was glad he could not drink, but I knew it made him feel a tad bit upset that all the rest of the lads could drink until they were blue in the face, and yet he could not. That is another reason that I am careful about the amount I drink while in the company of John. I would hate to make him upset.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Anyways, Henry, there are no reasons to panic yourself over time. The party does not start until six-o-clock pm,” he told me. It was my turn to be relieved.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Oh, thank god! I had thought it started earlier!” I cried. John laughed again.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Heavens no! Do you think I could stand having to host a party in the early hours of the day!” John exclaimed. I laughed.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Oh, do you really see Richard, Hastie, and I as such a bother?” I joked.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“No, no! Not at all! Though, I may reconsider saying that after tonight. Not about you, or Richard, but about Hastie. Who knows what trouble he will get into tonight!” John jokingly replied. I smiled.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“On that note, I shall see you this evening, my good friend,” I said to him.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“I very much look forwards to your company,” he replied.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Please do have a good morning, and afternoon,” I said to him.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Same to you, Henry,” he said to me, before hanging up the phone. I hung up my end and checked my watch. It was now 10:30. I had talked with John longer than I had expected to. Oh well. I had time still.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Master, you have a visitor. Shall I send her up?” Molly called.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Yes, if it is not a bother,” I replied.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Who would come over at this hour?” I wondered. It was not very earlier, nor was it very late, however, I was not expecting anyone over, which I why I was so surprised someone was here.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Henry! It has been a long time!” I heard a voice called. I smiled as I recognized the voice.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Lisa!” I exclaimed.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>Please excuse me. You do not know who Lisa is. Allow me to explain. You see, Lisa was to be my wife, however, it was an arranged marriage. Neither of us was fond of each other at the beginning, mostly due to the fact that we were supposed to be wed, however, years passed, and we both grew fonder and fonder of each other. I never developed romantic feelings for her, however, I was unsure if she loved me. So, I kept up the act that I was in love with her, not wishing to hurt her feelings. Well, one day I walked into her room after hearing someone enter it. I had not heard anyone else enter the house, and had thought Lisa had come over unexpectedly. I walked into her room and saw her and another woman. Kissing. As you can imagine, it was a very awkward moment for me, however, it was the thing that brought us closer, I believe. I attempted to leave her room unnoticed, however, I did not see a necklace laying on the floor, and tripped over it. Both turned and saw me, and Lisa’s face turned a dark red. She begged me not to tell anyone, and I smiled at her and told her I would keep her secret as long as she wished me to. From that day on, she has been by my side in terms of my work, and I have kept her secret. However, I had not seen her for quite some time. I had been so busy with my work, I suppose I shut her out as well.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“I am so glad to see you again! John told me you had been cooped up in your lab for so long, and I felt terrible! I have been so busy this last year, and I have not seen you as often as I wish I could have,” Lisa said, looking at the ground. I smiled.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Lisa, I apologize as well. I should have contacted you to find out how you were, however, my work consumed me, and I shut out almost everyone,” I told her. Lisa smiled at me.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“So, you are not mad?” she asked me.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Why on earth would I be mad?! If anyone were to be upset, it should be you!” I cried out. Lisa smiled.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Just the same as always, Doctor,” she said to me.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“What brings you here on this fine day? Are you also attending the party this evening?” I asked her. Lisa chuckled.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“I wish I could attend the party. John was so kind as to invite me, however, I am busy tonight. Lucy and I…” she began, before trailing off. Her face was covered with a deep blush, and I smiled at her.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“I understand, and I am sure John would too,” I told her.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“I told him I had already made plans for the evening. He was very kind about it,” she informed me. I smiled.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Well, it would be unlike John to not be kind,” I said. Lisa smiled.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“May I sit?” she asked, pointing to a small desk chair that was sitting in a corner. I looked around my room, embarrassed about how unkept my room was.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Shall we go downstairs? I could ask Molly or Poole to prepare us something to eat, or to drink?” I suggested. Lisa nodded, and we both walked downstairs, and into our living room.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Poole. I apologize for bothering you, however, if it is not a bother, could you prepare something for me and Miss Lisa to eat?” I asked. I felt terrible for asking Poole to make something, after saying he could have the day off, and feared that he would resent me for it. However, being the kind man Poole is, he walked into the room, and bowed to me, smiling.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Is there anything you fancy?” he asked me. I shook my head.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Lisa? Is there anything you fancy to eat?” I asked. Lisa smiled.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Surprise me!” she exclaimed. I turned to face her.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“So, how have you and… Lucy been?” I asked. I had not known what the woman Lisa was with was named, however, she had called her “Lucy” before, so I assumed that this was indeed the woman she was with.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Ah, we have been well. I do wish I could tell others about us, seeing as she makes me so very happy, however, I suppose the world just isn’t ready to accept us just yet,” she whispered sadly to me. I placed my hand on her shoulder.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“One day, I am sure the world shall see that your love is the same as any other love,” I said to her. Lisa smiled at me.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Lucy would say that our love is better than any others,” she told me. I could not help but smile at this. I had not met Lucy, other than walking in on her and Lisa, and I assume that was as uncomfortable for her as it was for me. I blushed at the memory.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“I do hope she does not hold… that day against me,” I muttered. Lisa smiled at me.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“I doubt it. Lucy is not one that holds grudges often. Not for something that was an accident,” she informed me, and I felt relieved.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“I am very glad to hear that. Anyways, please do tell me about your life,” I asked her.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>After we chatted for what seemed like too short of a time, Lisa got up and placed her dishes by the sink.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“I really should be going. I would not want Lucy to worry about where I am,” Lisa said, before walking to the door.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Have a wonderful rest of your day, Lisa,” I called to her.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“You as well, Henry. Until next time,” she called to me, and with that, she shut the door and walked off. I smiled. It was quite nice, seeing all of my old friends. It made me realize how lonely I had been all this time. I checked my watch again. It was already two-o-clock. This was good. I had had time to talk to my old friend, and I still had a fair amount of time before the party. I smiled.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Well, I suppose I should get my things packed,” I thought to myself. I walked back upstairs to my room and begun to rummage through my drawers, attempting to find things one would need for a party. I realized then that I had not been to a party in quite some time, and I had no idea what I would need.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Molly. Would you please come upstairs for a moment?” I asked her.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Coming Master!” she called, and a moment later, she raced into my room.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Molly, I am terribly sorry for bothering you, but is there any way you could help me?” I asked her. Molly nodded and smiled at me.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“How can I help, Master?” she asked me.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Well, you see… I… um…” I stuttered, embarrassed. I was supposed to be this high up, professional doctor, and yet I could not even pack for an evening out without needing help. Molly gave me a concerned look.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Is everything alright, Master?” she asked me. I sat down on the bed, my head down.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Molly, I need help packing for a party,” I admitted to her. Molly smiled, or at least I am almost sure she did.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Oh! I can help with that!” she exclaimed, and she began ripping through my drawers, throwing different objects into my bags.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Are you sure I will need all of that?” I asked her.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Yes. I am almost confident you will,” she replied, throwing more things into my bag. I sighed.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“If you are sure,” I said. She smiled at me. After about ten minutes, she closed my bag and smiled brightly at me.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“There we are! All finished! I’ll get Bradshaw to take these down, and I’ll have him place them in the carriage when you are leaving,” she told me. I smiled.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Thank you for all your help, Molly,” I said.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“You are most welcome, Master!” she said.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“You may leave if you wish,” I informed her. Molly smiled, bowed, and left the room. I checked my watch again. It was two-fifty-five. I sighed. That had taken longer than I thought it would. Most of which was most likely my fault, considering that I had taken so long trying to figure out what it was I would need. I should have called Molly earlier. Oh well, I still had a little more than three hours. I decided it would be best to get a bit of work done before the party. I walked down to my lab and closed the door to the lab behind me. Suddenly, I felt my head being to throb. The pain was splitting, and I began to scream, before passing out.</em>
  </p>
</blockquote>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Events Of: December 24, 5:30 pm – 10:00 pm, 1886:</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>I awoke, a panicked scream escaping my lips. I looked around me, but found myself in my bedroom, instead of my lab. I felt a stabbing pain in my left arm and made my way over to a mirror. I screamed once more as I saw a large cut in my left arm.</p><p>“Master! Are you alright?” I heard Molly ask, however, I was unable to answer her. Being a doctor, I could easily tell that my wound was large, but not deep. I would not bleed out, or die from it, and though that was comforting, my mind was buzzing with thoughts still. I smiled kindly, not wishing to panic Molly.</p><p>“Yes. Yes. I am quite alright. I had an accident with a few chemicals, but I am fine now,” I said to her. Molly gave me a look that was full of concern but nodded.</p><p>“Alright. If you need any help cleaning that wound, just call,” she said, before turning to leave the room. I sighed, then gave her a panicked look.</p><p>“Molly! What time is it?! Oh dear! I mustn’t be late for the party!” I yelled out, panic clear in my voice.</p><p>“It’s not for another half an hour, Master,” Molly informed me. Half an hour did not give me all that much time, however, it was enough. I assumed that John would serve dinner at the party, so that was not an issue. I wondered if I should have offered to bring some sort of dish for the dinner, or even a dessert, but it was too late now. There was not enough time to make anything, and I would rather not show up to the party with something I had bought shortly before. I sighed.</p><p>“Thank you, Molly. Please do enjoy the rest of the day,” I told her. Molly smiled at me.</p><p>“What time do you wish for the carriage to be called, Master?” she asked me. I smiled at Molly again.</p><p>“There is no need to call for a carriage. Tell Bradshaw and Poole that as well,” I told Molly, who in turn gave me a shocked look.</p><p>“But… but how will you get to the party, Master?” she asked me. I continued smiling at her.</p><p>“It is nice enough outside, I shall be fine to walk to John’s estate. There is no reason to worry, it will not be an issue. The snow is not that deep,” I told her.</p><p>“If you wish, I shall tell that to Bradshaw and Poole,” Molly asked, however, I could still tell that she had quite a bit of worry in her voice. I smiled kindly at her again.</p><p>“Molly, please, there is no need to worry about me. I promise,” I told her. Molly hesitantly nodded.</p><p>“Alright, Master. I shall tell them,” she said, before leaving the room. I heard her talking to Bradshaw and Poole, and I could already hear the dismay in their voices. I made my way out of my room.</p><p>“I shall be taking my leave now. Please do enjoy the rest of your day, all of you,” I called to my servants, smiling as I saw myself out.</p><p>“Please do enjoy yourself, Master,” Poole said to me, bowing his head. I bowed my head to him, and close the door of the manor behind me.</p><p>“Dear god, it is colder than I had suspected it would be!” I thought to myself as I walked down the nearly abandoned London streets. I looked at all the buildings, wondering what kinds of lives the people within them really live. I often found myself wondering this when I walked down the streets alone. People here, and I am sure everywhere else put on a mask, and act as though they are someone else, and yet, despite doing the same thing myself, I find myself wondering what people are hiding behind their masks. I stare into the small, glass windows of the large manors that surrounded my own manor. Yes. I was surrounded by those that hid behind a mask, and I am right in the middle, wearing the very same mask. I sighed to myself as I made my way to John’s estate. I checked my watch. It was five-fifty. I feared that John would be less than pleased to have me over early, seeing as he was not the most social of gentlemen. Please do not get me wrong, he is a good fellow, just not a social one. I hesitantly knocked on the door.</p><p>“Who is there? Richard? Is that you?! You are so late!” I heard a familiar voice yell. I smiled.</p><p>“Hastie. How are you? It is me, Henry,” I called back. I heard the lock of the door being unlocked. Hastie looked me over and then smiled, rushing over to me.</p><p>“Henry! By God, it really is you!” he cried as he draped his arms around me. I smiled and patted his back.</p><p>“It is a pleasure to see you again as well, Hastie. How have things been? Well, I would hope?” I asked him. Hastie sighed.</p><p>“Not as well as I wish they were, however, let us not dwell on the past!” Hastie said, and I knew he must have already gotten into the liquor, for he was not commenting on how my work had failed me. Either that, or he really did feel bad enough for me that he would pass up the opportunity to gloat how he was right, and how I was wrong.</p><p>“Hastie? Who is that at the door?” I heard John call from somewhere in his manor.</p><p>“Sh. Do not say anything! I am going to surprise him!” Hastie whispered to me. He was most defiantly drunk. Or close to it.</p><p>“I suppose that would do no harm, but what are you going to surprise him with?” I asked, not quite sure that Hastie’s plan was.</p><p>“Why, you of course!” Hastie yelled, before grabbing me by the arm and dragging me into the manor. I attempted to shake him off, however, it was to no avail. I saw John in the parlor, his head in a book.</p><p>“Hastie?” he called, before seeing both Hastie and me, and jumping out of his chair.</p><p>“Look who I found prowling around your manor!” Hastie exclaimed, and John and I both laughed.</p><p>“Hello John,” I said. John smiled at me and laughed.</p><p>“I see Hastie managed to drag you in,” he joked. I laughed again.</p><p>“Yes, I suppose you could say it went down that way,” I replied. Hastie let go of me and walked over to the kitchen.</p><p>“You really do not want to know how many drinks he has had already,” John warned me. I sighed.</p><p>“Enough, I would guess,” I said, and John laughed.</p><p>“There is never enough to drink for Hastie,” he answered, and I smiled. I pointed at a chair in the parlor room, motioning my hand towards it.</p><p>“May I?” I asked. John nodded.</p><p>“Yes, of course! Forgive me for being so rude! Please do sit down! Would you like anything to eat or drink? Dinner shall be served soon, however, if you are hungry, I can ask for something to be prepared ahead of time,” John suggested, however, I shook my head.</p><p>“No. Thank you though,” I replied, and John nodded. We both sat down on two chairs, and I sighed, relaxing into the soft leather of the chair.</p><p>“I am so glad you decided to come to the party this evening. It would not have been the same without you,” John said, and I smiled.</p><p>“Thank you for the invitation. It was due time I got out of my manor, I suppose,” I replied.</p><p>“I believe the last party we both attended together was your last birthday party. You insisted this year that you did not want one, correct? You stated you were too busy,” John said. I could feel my face turning red. My last birthday party was one that was not all that enjoyable. It was the one in which I first started the project which I thought would change my life. Hastie, as well as two others that I told, thought me mad, and they laughed at me. Hastie told me many times that evening that it was a plan only a madman would make, and that I should quit before I ruined my reputation. My recent birthday fell right on the anniversary of my first attempt to introduce my work to the world, and I did not feel like seeing anyone that day. I sighed, putting my head down.</p><p>“Yes, that is correct,” I replied. John placed a hand on my shoulder. I looked at him and noticed that his face was bright red.</p><p>“Henry, I am so sorry. I had forgotten about… well… what had happened last year on your birthday. I did not mean to bring those memories to mind,” he said. I smiled sadly at him.</p><p>“It is not a problem. I understand that you would have forgotten. After all, you were not there when I had my birthday party that year,” I reminded him.</p><p>“That is correct. I was out of the country that week, and it has haunted me ever since. I am so sorry that I missed your birthday. We celebrate it every year since we went to school together,” he said, and I saw the pain in his eyes. I smiled.</p><p>“John, it is not a problem. I swear. It may even be better that you were not there. It was not the happiest birthday I have had,” I told him. John smiled kindly at me.</p><p>“Did I miss something? Or did I interrupt something? Because if you two are having a moment, I can go back to the kitchen,” we both heard a voice call. Both of us turned to see Hastie, whose arms were full of both food items and drink items alike, staring at us, his eyebrows raised. I pulled back in my seat, my face red.</p><p>“What are you trying to insinuate, Hastie?” John asked, his tone bitter.</p><p>“Nothing. Other than the obvious,” Hastie replied.</p><p>“And what would that be?” John asked, his tone even more bitter.</p><p>“That you and Henry here were having a… moment,” Hastie exclaimed, and I felt my cheeks grow hotter.</p><p>“Hastie! Enough! You are embarrassing Henry!” John yelled, and Hastie laughed.</p><p>“Oh well, if you two are done being emotional and reminiscing memories, I would like to get on with this party!” Hastie yelled back. I nodded.</p><p>“That sounds like a swell plan,” I said, wishing this conversation to end. Suddenly, the door to John’s manor busted open.</p><p>“Hello! Hello! How is everyone?!” I heard a female voice call from the doorway.</p><p>“Lucy! You cannot just break into someone’s manor!” I heard a familiar voice yell.</p><p>“Lisa!” I yelled.</p><p>“Lisa? As in your past fiancé Lisa?” Hastie asked, and I nodded.</p><p>“It is not breaking in if we were invited,” I heard Lucy argue. They both stepped into the room, both wearing the most magnificent dresses I had ever seen, and no doubt the most expensive. If I learned one thing about Lisa in our time together, I learned that she always had to have the best, and nothing less.</p><p>“Hello John. Hello Hastie. Hello Henry. How are you all this fine evening?” Lisa asked.</p><p>“Well enough. Although I cannot speak for Hastie here, I know I am well enough,” John replied.</p><p>“I am well,” I answered.</p><p>“Good,” Hastie replied.</p><p>“That is good to hear,” Lisa replied. Lucy coughed.</p><p>“Ain’t any of you fine gents going to ask us how we are,” Lucy demanded, and I saw Lisa blush.</p><p>“Lucy! Please!” she whispered, though we all could hear it. Lucy laughed, pulled Lisa closer, and kissed her.</p><p>“You’re too uptight, love,” Lucy said to Lisa, whose face was now a deep red.</p><p>“How are you both?” I asked. Lucy laughed.</p><p>“Of course, it would be the doctor that asks. I’m fine,” Lucy replied. Lisa had now recovered from her blush and was smiling.</p><p>“I am doing quite well,” she said.</p><p>“I thought you two said you were not going to be able to attend the party this evening?” I asked, before covering my mouth. “I apologize. That sounded awfully rude,” I added.</p><p>“No! No! Henry! It is alright! It wasn’t rude at all! I had been under the impression I would not be attending as well, however, Lucy had been planning to come here all along,” Lisa explained. Lucy punched Lisa’s arm playfully, laughing.</p><p>“You never even saw it coming! Ha! You should have seen the look on her face when I told her where we were going for our date!” Lucy exclaimed. John smiled.</p><p>“Well, I am glad you both could make it,” John said. Lisa and Lucy both smiled, then motioned their hands towards the chairs. John nodded, then smiled shyly.</p><p>“I feel awfully rude today! That is the second time I have forgotten to offer someone a seat!” he exclaimed, causing everyone to laugh.</p><p>“John! Please! There is no need to apologize! We are all friends here!” Lisa exclaimed.</p><p>“Thank you for your kindness, Lisa. You as well, Lucy,” John said.</p><p>“Let us all sit down, get some food and drinks, and let us make up for lost time!” Hastie yelled out. John scowled.</p><p>“We all know you just want the drinks, Hastie,” he snapped, and everyone laughed.</p><p>After a few hours of chatting, John stood up and raised his wine glass.</p><p>“Let us all make toasts,” he exclaimed.</p><p>“I’ll go first! A toast to the night! A toast to romance! To those unafraid of taking a chance! To love, no matter how forbidden society says it is! To a love that shall never die!” Lucy yelled, and we all raised our glasses and took a sip. John and I did not have wine in ours, only water, however, neither of us wished to be left out of the toast.</p><p>“A toast to friends, and lovers,” Lisa yelled out, and we all took another sip.</p><p>“A toast to good health, and mostly, good drinks!” Hastie drunkenly called out, and we all laughed before drinking once more.</p><p>“A toast to old friends, and to a future which we can all enjoy together,” John said, smiling. We all nodded and raised our glasses.</p><p>“A toast to second chances,” I said, a smile on my face. Everyone else nodded and drank what remained in our glasses.</p><p>“What is the time?” I asked.</p><p>“It is five minutes to ten,” John replied.</p><p>“Going somewhere, Henry?” Lisa asked me.</p><p>“No, not at all. I was simply wondering how much longer we had left of this party. I am quite enjoying myself, however, I would hate to overstay my welcome,” I said, before blushing as I realized I had said that in front of John, who had been the one to invite us all.</p><p>“Please, stay as long as you wish. I have no plans for the evening, besides this party of course,” John replied, smiling kindly as he noticed my blush.</p><p>“Well, I’m warm. I’m going to open a window!” Lucy yelled, before walking to one of the windows.</p><p>“Do be careful! That is quite a high window!” Lisa called to her. Lucy laughed.</p><p>“I’ll be fine! Look, see,” Lucy called back, before opening the large window, and sticking her head out of the window.</p><p>“Miss Lucy! Lisa is right! Please be careful! That would be quite the nasty fall!” John yelled at her. Lucy laughed once more.</p><p>“I’m fine! See!” she yelled, looking out farther. “Nothing wrong! Just a… what is that? I see something down there! A… oh lord! Oh! Oh no! Oh lord no!” Lucy screamed. She walked back into the room, looking as pale as a ghost.</p><p>“Lucy, what is it?” Lisa asked.</p><p>“There… there… my sister… down there…” Lucy stuttered out.</p><p>“Does she want to come in?” Lisa asked. Lucy shook her head.</p><p>“S… she… blood… everywhere… knife… in her stomach… she’s… she’s dead,” Lucy managed to stutter out, before collapsing on the floor, sobbing hard.</p>
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<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Events Of: December 25, 6:00 am – 9:00 am, 1886:</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>After the events of the evening, all of us retired to our rooms, by John’s strict instructions. We all attempted to sleep, and though I can only speak for myself, I can safely assume that no one slept all that well last night. My room was right next to Lisa and Lucy’s room, and I could hear sobbing all throughout the night.</p><p>The next morning, we all walked downstairs, and into the kitchen. John was already down there, and he had made breakfast. Though the food looked good, no one ate.</p><p>“We need to discuss what you saw, Lucy,” John said, his voice stern, but comforting.</p><p>“What I saw?! What I saw?! I saw my baby sister! My little baby sister, covered in her own blood! She was only eighteen! She didn’t do nothing wrong!” Lucy screamed out, and Lisa hugged her.</p><p>“I am so sorry, Lucy,” Lisa cried on Lucy's shoulder.</p><p>“We need to find out all we can,” John said. I nodded my head, took a breath, and stood up.</p><p>“I will go to examine the body. Lucy should not do it, and Lisa should stay here with her. Hastie is in no state to examine a… corpse,” I said, stuttering at the end, trying to figure out the right word to use.</p><p>“I shall go with you,” John offered. Though I did not wish to bother him, I also thought it would be good to go with someone, especially someone that had more experience with corpses than I did.</p><p>“Very well then. Shall we go?” I asked. John nodded, and we both walked towards the door. Just then, we heard a scream.</p><p>“Wait!” Lucy yelled at us.</p><p>“What is it, Lucy?” I asked. Lucy gave me a look that I had never seen from her before. It was a look of pure hate.</p><p>“Catch the monster that did this, and kill them!” she yelled.</p><p>“We cannot kill them, however, we can catch them, and have them placed in prison,” John assured her. She nodded, though I could tell she was unhappy.</p><p>John and I walked outside of the manor, and towards the corpse. John looked at me, uneasy. I attempted to smile at him, however, I could not force a smile onto my face. We walked a tad bit farther and saw the corpse of Lucy’s little sister, laying facing up, terror written clearly on her face. She was bleeding quite a bit, and there was a knife sticking out of her stomach.</p><p>“She must have died of blood loss. Look there. See the knife. That must be the murder weapon,” John said to me, his voice perfectly calm. I wondered how he could do this so easily.</p><p>“Look at her head,” I heard John say. I was unsure why he would ask this, however, I suppose he was looking for any flesh on her teeth, which she would have gotten from biting the murderer. I walked over to the lady’s head and saw a small dent in her skull.</p><p>“The knife wound is very deep,” I heard John call to me.</p><p>“It would have to be, assuming that she bled to death,” I told him.</p><p>“But we both know that the knife isn’t what killed her, don’t we, my darling Henry?” I heard a voice whisper to me. It was a deep, gruff voice, and one I knew was most defiantly not John’s.</p><p>“John, did you hear that?” I asked. John looked over at me, and his confusion was written clearly on his face.</p><p>“Hear what?” he asked me.</p><p>“Um… did you hear me say that the wound must have been deep for her to have bled to death?” I said, lying. John nodded.</p><p>“My apologies for not answering. I was lost in thought,” John replied to me, buying my lie.</p><p>“What were you thinking about?” I asked him.</p><p>“I was thinking about what kind of monster it takes to do something like this to someone as young and innocent as Lucy’s sister. I know she was eighteen, but that is still so young,” John replied to me, his voice bitter and cold, and full of hate. I had never seen him like this. John was normally so calm, and he never hated anyone. However, his voice when he spoke about the killer, it was full of deep, dark hate that I knew could only result from someone that had lost someone this way.</p><p>“John did you… lose someone this way?” I asked him, placing a hand on his shoulder.</p><p>“Yes. I have lost clients I was supposed to help. I told them that I would do my best to lock away the monsters that had hurt them, however, the justice system let them go, and then… they would come back to the innocent people I swore to help, and they killed them, and there was nothing I could do about it!” John spat out. I look at him dead in the eyes.</p><p>“John, that was not your fault,” I reassured him.</p><p>“I want to catch this person Henry, and I want to put them away,” John told me. I nodded.</p><p>“As do I,” I told him.</p><p>“Did you see anything at the head?” John asked me.</p><p>“Well… I saw this d…” I began to say, trying to tell John about the dent in the head, however, I then felt a splitting pain in my head, and I began to scream.</p><p>“Henry! Henry!” John yelled, holding my shoulders as I held my head, screaming in agony. After a few moments, the pain stopped, and I shook John’s hands off me.</p><p>“I am terribly sorry about that,” I told him. John stared at me, his face full of worry.</p><p>“By god Henry! What just happened?!” John demanded. I shook my head.</p><p>“Please do not worry about it. You see, I sometimes get terrible migraines, however, they always end after a short amount of time,” I informed him. “Anyways, as I was trying to say…” I began, before getting cut off by John.</p><p>“No! You are going to rest,” John demanded.</p><p>“What?” I asked.</p><p>“This is all too much for you, as I thought. Listen, I could not care less if this is normal for you. I am not going to stand here and risk letting you pass out on the concrete floor,” John said to me.</p><p>“John, please. I am fine, really,” I insisted.</p><p>“Henry, you are going home, and we are not discussing this matter farther,” John yelled at me. I sighed in defeat. I knew better than to fight with John. He was a lawyer, after all, and he was used to fighting others to get his way. I, on the other hand, was a scientist, and a doctor. I had little to no skills fighting for what I wanted. Even when I was trying to pitch the idea that I thought would change the world, as soon as I was told “no” by the board of governors, I simply said good day and left.</p><p>“Fine, but at least let me get my things before I go,” I said. John shook his head.</p><p>“I will send my butler to drop them off at your manor later today,” John informed me. I sighed once again and nodded my head to John.</p><p>“Good luck solving this crime,” I told him, before walking back to my manor.</p><p>“Yes, good luck indeed, Johnny boy,” I heard the same voice say.</p><p>“Hello?!” I yelled out, however, I did not hear a reply. I looked around and saw a figure dashing away from a tree that laid near where John and I had been. I began to chase after the figure, but my head began to hurt again, and I decided it best that I took John’s advice, and continued walking home.</p><p>Once I arrived home, I was greeted by Poole and Molly.</p><p>“Welcome home, Master,” Poole said. I nodded my head to both of them and proceeded to walk upstairs.</p><p>“Master, is everything alright?” I heard Molly call to me. I looked back down the stairs and smiled.</p><p>“Yes, I just feel a bit unwell. I am going to get some rest for a little while,” I told her. I had never told Molly or Poole about my migraines, and that was the way it would stay. I continued walking until I reached my bedroom, and then I fell down on the bed and quickly fell asleep.</p>
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<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Events Of: January 17, 8:00 am– 4:00pm, 1887:</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Almost a month had passed since we had found Lucy’s sister’s corpse. The funeral had been very emotional, and ever since then, Lisa had been living with Lucy. Lucy and her sister were orphans, so it would have only been Lucy at the funeral. Lisa had made up her mind about going to the funeral, and when she asked us all to go with her, we all agreed. John, Hastie, John’s cousin Richard, and I had all attended. After the funeral, John and I got straight to work. I said I could examine the body, and John set out to find witnesses. We did have to wait for quite some time for the morgue to allow us to see the body, so by the time we got the body, it was a good two weeks after the funeral.</p><p>I woke up early, as I had been doing ever since the funeral. Not just because of the nightmares, however, those did plague my nights. I was also worried that I would miss that call from the funeral parlor. I raced down the stairs, as I had done every morning since the funeral, and ran into the parlor room.</p><p>“Poole! Had the funeral parlor called while I was resting?” I asked, and I had expected him to say that they would call whenever they were ready, and for me not to worry myself so much. However, this morning brought new, and better, news.</p><p>“Yes, they have called. They said they wish to meet with you as soon as you are ready, Master,” Poole said to me. My face lit up.</p><p>“Have Molly prepare something that I can take with me for breakfast,” I ordered, and I ran back upstairs. I quickly got changed, made myself look relatively presentable, and raced back down the stairway.</p><p>“Master here is your breakfast,” Molly said to me, handing me a small bag.</p><p>“Thank you!” I called, grabbing the bag from her, and rushing out the door. I quickly made my way to the funeral parlor, pushing by people that were walking on the streets with me. I muttered apologizes and continued on my way.</p><p>Once I arrived at the parlor, I checked my watch. It was now nine o’clock. It had taken me longer than I had planned to get there, but I was not all that upset with myself. I was there, and the corpse was ready to be examined. I knocked on the door, and my jaw dropped as I saw who was standing in the doorway.</p><p>“Hastie?!” I yelled, shocked that my friend was here.</p><p>“Shh! Keep your voice down!” Hastie screamed at me, before grabbing my shirt and pulling me into the parlor.</p><p>“Hastie?! What are you doing here?!” I half-whispered, half-shouted. Hastie’s face turned a bright red, and he looked away.</p><p>“I… I’m working,” he muttered. I gave him a shocked expression.</p><p>“B… but you work your family’s business, do you not?” I asked him. He had told us all that he worked at his family’s business. All the people that lived around where I lived either had very high paying jobs, or inherited a portion of their family’s business. This was the way things worked. Everyone in my neighborhood was very well known, and everyone knew where they worked. So, you must understand my surprise when I found out that my friend worked at a small funeral parlor. Hastie turned away from me.</p><p>“I… I do. I work there, but I also work here,” Hastie said to me. There was something about his voice that made me uneasy. It was shaking, and it was the most unsteady I had ever heard it, despite the times when he had been drinking heavily.</p><p>“Why would you need two jobs? Does your family business not make enough money?” I asked him. He nodded his head and turned back to me.</p><p>“Yes, but you see… my love is… with child,” Hastie told me. Love? Hastie had never mentioned a steady relationship before, let alone a lover that was with his child!</p><p>“A love? With your child?! By god, Hastie! Why have you never mentioned this before?!” I screamed. Hastie placed a finger to his lips.</p><p>“I never mentioned it because I only found out that she was with child this morning!” he told me. I stared at his face. There was sweat dripping from it, and he looked quite nervous. I was unsure why this was. I was his friend. We had been close friends ever since childhood, so why was he so nervous to tell me about this? I disregarded the thought and smiled.</p><p>“I am very happy for you, as well as your love,” I told him. “If you are ever in need of medical, or financial help, please do not hesitate to ask,” I said to him, placing my hand on his shoulder.</p><p>“Thank you. Your offer is most generous; however, I am afraid I cannot except it. You are a friend, and I will not take your money. However, if it is not a bother, I may ask for you to be present when my love gives birth to our child,” Hastie said to me. I nodded my head.</p><p>“I shall most certainly be there,” I promised him.</p><p>“Thank you again, Henry,” he said. I smiled at him, then frowned.</p><p>“I suppose I should get to the matter of why I originally came here,” I told him.</p><p>“Ah, yes. The young lady, Miss Charlotte,” he replied with a sigh. I gave him a shocked expression.</p><p>“H… how did you know her name?” I asked. I had only found out her name after talking with Lisa, who had quite a hard time asking Lucy for the name of her sister. John and Richard both knew about her name, due to my telling of the name. However, no one had told Hastie about the name. At least, not to the best of my knowledge.</p><p>“Henry, I work here. I know the names of everyone that comes in here. Well, anyone that will not be leaving here,” he explained to me, and I felt my cheeks growing warmer. I knew I was blushed.</p><p>“I… I apologize for my rudeness,” I said to Hastie, and he laughed.</p><p>“There is no need to apologize, Henry,” he said. “Her corpse is this way,” Hastie then said. I nodded and followed him. We walked through many hallways, some of which contained nothing, while others contained rows and rows of dark black coffins. Those hallways smelt terrible, and I had to force my breakfast back down into my stomach. We finally stopped walking, in one of the side rooms in one of the many hallways.</p><p>“Is this it? Is she in this room?” I asked him, pointing at the closed door. Hastie nodded.</p><p>“Yes. She is. You may enter it. I assume that is why you came here,” Hastie said. I raised my eyebrow.</p><p>“You are not coming in with me?” I asked, and Hastie shook his head.</p><p>“I… I hate to see her like that. It makes me… angry. I cannot stop thinking that I could have stopped what had happened. Maybe the murderer was there while we were. Maybe, before you arrived, and everyone else arrived, he killed her. Maybe, while John was in the cellar, he was stabbing her! I could have saved her if I wasn’t so drunk!” he yelled angrily. I placed my hand on his shoulder.</p><p>“Hastie, there is nothing you could have done. You did not know that there was a murderer outside. You could not have known that he…” I said, before stopping myself. “He? You kept saying “he”. How do you know it was a man?” I asked him. Hastie shook his head.</p><p>“I just assumed it was. I apologize. I had not meant to seem offense to either gender,” Hastie apologized. I nodded my head.</p><p>“It is alright,” I said, though I still felt a tad bit uneasy. I shook those thoughts out of my head and walked into the room. I only saw one body in there and knew that this must have been Charlotte’s body. I felt sick. She looked so very young. I shook my head. I had to do my job and then leave.</p><p>After a few hours, I finished my examination. Besides the odd dent in her skull and knife wound, there was nothing out of place. The killer did not take anything from her. I noticed that the police report was sitting beside her corpse, and I had read it. I read that nothing was stolen, which meant that this was not a robbery that had gone wrong. No. This was murder. There were no notable violations to her either, meaning that this was simply cruel, cold heart, unprovoked, murder. I shook my head and exited the room.</p><p>“Thank you for your time, Hastie. Have a good day,” I said to Hastie as I left the funeral parlor. Hastie nodded at me.</p><p>“You as well, Henry,” he said to me. I smiled at him, and then closed the door behind me.</p><p>Once I arrived home, I took off my coat and shoes.</p><p>“Master, how was your time out?” Poole asked me, handing me a warm cup of soup. I smiled at him.</p><p>“It was alright, thank you for asking. Thank you as well for the soup,” I said. He nodded at me.</p><p>“This is not the kind of weather I would have hoped for in January,” he told me. He was right. This year’s weather had been quite terrible so far. It was either raining heavily, or it was freezing cold, which normally brought snow. I chuckled.</p><p>“Yes, I also wish the weather was kinder to us,” I said to him. I then walked upstairs and laid down on my bed.</p><p>“I need rest,” I muttered to myself. Seeing the corpse of that poor girl, it was far too much for me. I was exhausted. I closed my eyes, only to hear Poole calling to me.</p><p>“Master. You have a guest,” he called to me. I sighed, and walked down the stairway, only to see John.</p><p>“Hello Henry,” he greeted me. I nodded my head to him.</p><p>“Hello John,” I said to him.</p><p>“May I sit?” he asked me, and I nodded.</p><p>“Would you like to have anything to eat or drink?” I asked him. John shook his head and sat down.</p><p>“Have you…” he began to ask, and I knew already what he was going to ask.</p><p>“Yes. She… she was… she was quite injured. There is a blow to the back of her skull, and from what it looks like, there was no clear motive,” I informed my good friend. John nodded his head and looked away from me.</p><p>“Good. Good” was all he said as a reply. I placed a hand on his shoulder.</p><p>“What is going on, John?” I asked. I had known John long enough to know when he was hiding something from me.</p><p>“Henry, there was another murder similar to this one. It took place last night, around this neighborhood,” he told me. I stared at John, eyes wide.</p><p>“Who was the victim?” I asked.</p><p>“Lord Savage,” he replied to me. I gave him a shocked expression.</p><p>“But was he not on the board of governors?! Surely he would have had protection!” I argued, in disbelief that someone with such a high status would have gotten murdered in such a brutal manner. However, John’s answer did not calm me in the slightest.</p><p>“All of his guards were found murdered in the same way,” he informed me.</p><p>“Then whoever did this…” I began, but John cut me off.</p><p>“They knew what it was they were doing. If Lord Savage was the only victim, I would say that it is possible that someone hired an assassin for this, however… with Lucy’s sister…” John said, his voice low.</p><p>“And you are sure that the two are connected?” I asked him. John shocked his head. He was looking at me, and I could see the pain in his eyes.</p><p>“I am not certain, but from the way it looks, this job was done by the same person,” he replied.</p><p>“Do you think it is a serial killer?” I asked him. John placed his head in his hands.</p><p>“I am not all that sure of anything anymore,” he admitted to me. I placed a hand on his shoulder.</p><p>“Well, you are the best lawyer I know, John, and I know that you will solve this crime,” I assured him. John smiled at me.</p><p>“Thank you, Henry,” he said. I smiled kindly at him.</p><p>“You are most welcome, dear friend,” I replied. John checked his watch.</p><p>“I really should be going. It is quite late,” John said to me. I check my watch. It was only a quarter to four, but I knew that John was a very busy man, and most likely had things to do.</p><p>“Please do be safe walking home. The weather has not been kind to us,” I said, before standing up. John stood up as well.</p><p>“Be careful, Henry,” John warned me, before walking to the front door. “The murderer could be anyone, and I do not wish you to get hurt,” John said to me.</p><p>“Same goes for you,” I replied, and I stood there watching as John opened the door, smiled, and waved to me. Before the door closed, however, I heard a voice. It was the same one that I had heard in December.</p><p>“Aww. Is Johnny boy leaving so soon? Pity. I wanted to see you, two play detective, a little longer,” the voice cooed, sounding sad.</p><p>“John!” I called, trying to stop him from leaving, but it was too late. He had already left, and the heavy door to my manor eventually closed behind him. He was too far to have heard me. Either that, or he was too lost in thought to have heard me.</p><p>“Master? Is everything alright?” I heard Poole ask me. I nodded my head.</p><p>“Poole, can you prepare dinner please?” I asked him. Poole nodded.</p><p>“Right away, Master,” he said to me.</p><p>“I shall be in my lab,” I called to Poole as I walked off. I walked into my lab and collapsed on the floor.</p><p>“Why here? Of all places?! Why does it have to be people I know?!” I screamed out angrily. I opened a window for air and sighed.</p><p>“You really should not stress so much, dear Henry. Although, you are so cute when you are stress. Your cute face goes all red. Oh! So cute!” I heard the voice from before call.</p><p>“Where are you?! Are you the one that killed those people?!” I screamed out, but I did not get a reply. I closed the window and sat down on my chair. I closed my eyes, but then felt a sharp pain in my head. It was like a burn, throbbing pain at first, but then it turned into a sharp, unbearable pain. I fell off my chair, crawling towards the door. “Poole!” I attempted to scream. “Help! Anyone!” I called. The pain was now overwhelming. It was worse than anything I had ever felt. I attempted to grab the handle of the door, but before I could, darkness engulfed me.</p>
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<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Events Of: February 1, 5:00 am– 1:40pm, 1887:</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>I understand that you must be wondering why these entries carry so much time in between each other. I apologize for this, however, my job as a doctor, as well as the casework, has kept me very busy, and I have not been able to write as often as I wish I could. I am sincerely sorry about this.</p><p>Over a month had passed since the last events that are found in these pages. In regard to my accident in the last entry, Poole had found me and carried me to my resting quarters. He had then called over a doctor, and the doctor had inspected me. Once I had awoken, Poole, Molly, and Bradshaw had all ran into the room.</p><p>“Master?! Thank god you are awake!” Molly screamed, before running up and hugging me. I smiled and hugged her back.</p><p>“How long have I been unconscious?” I asked Poole.</p><p>“It is the first of February,” he informed me. I gave him a shocked expression. I prayed that he was only joking, attempting to lighten the mood, however, I knew Poole. He was not one to joke about something so serious.</p><p>“Dear God! John! The case! What have I missed?! Did we catch the murderer?!” I asked him, panicked. Poole placed his hand on my shoulder.</p><p>“Master, you must calm down. Being so worked up is not good for you,” Poole said to me.</p><p>“You got quite the nasty head injury, and that is on top of that little fainting incident of yours,” Bradshaw said to me.</p><p>“Head injury?!” I thought panickily. Had the murderer attempted to kill me? Had they broken the window that I had foolishly opened?</p><p>“Yes. When you collapsed, you hit your head on the door, injuring your head,” Poole explained. I sighed. Though it was not all that comforting to hear that I had been knocked unconscious for quite a long time, it was comforting to know that my concussion had not been caused by the same person John and I had been so desperately trying to place behind bars.</p><p>“I am so sorry. I must have bothered you all quite a lot,” I said.</p><p>“Master! It was no trouble at all!” Molly exclaimed.</p><p>“Molly is quite right. We are all just glad you have woken up,” Poole added. Suddenly, there was a loud knock on the door. We all turned to face the direction of the bedroom door.</p><p>“Poole! Molly! Bradshaw! Is it true?! Is Henry awake?!” I heard a distressed voice call. I recognized the voice immediately.</p><p>“John! Is that you?!” I asked, even though I knew it was him.</p><p>“Wow! I love how you are the first one that he thinks of!” I heard a voice scoff, and I laughed.</p><p>“Hello to you as well, Hastie,” I said.</p><p>“I am here as well, Henry!” I heard another, quieter voice call. I laughed.</p><p>“Hello Richard,” I called to John’s cousin.</p><p>“Henry! You really are awake! Thank god!” I heard a familiar timid voice call to me.</p><p>“Lisa! You are here as well! Now we are only missing Lucy!” I joked. I heard a laugh.</p><p>“I wish! Lisa ‘ere dragged me down to this rubble you call a house!” I heard Lucy joke back. I could not help but laugh at this.</p><p>“Rubble! This house was given to me by my father!” I shouted back at her.</p><p>“Shall I let them in, Master?” Poole asked me. I nodded my head.</p><p>“Yes. Yes. Let them in!” I replied. Poole nodded his head and opened the door. Everyone flooded into the room, and I was showered with gestures such as hugs, kisses, handshakes, and smiles.</p><p>“Henry, I am glad you are fine now, but good god, what happened to you?!” John screamed at me. I smiled shyly.</p><p>“It would appear I had passed out,” I replied to him. Lucy laughed.</p><p>“Thanks for stating the obvious, Henry! Is this how you diagnose all your patients?!” Lucy joked, and I rolled my eyes.</p><p>“I will have you know that I am one of London’s most honored doctors,” I shot back. Everyone sat down, on either a chair or the bedside, and we all began to talk.</p><p>I was asked many questions, most of which were repeatedly asked questions that someone would ask, and a few moments later, another would repeat. I would always laugh at this, and tell them that I had already answered this question, and then everyone would laugh. After explaining my accident to them, we all caught up. In those moments, it felt as though we were back at the party, except this time, everyone was there. Richard had shown up, and so had John, Lisa, Lucy, Hastie, and I. We were all laughing, sharing stories about our lives, and retelling old memories. In those moments, everything else was trivial. No one talked about the murders or talked about how we still did not know who it was. I knew that. Despite being passed out, I knew that if John had found the murder while I was unconscious, he would have mentioned it to me. He would have told everyone. So, no one mentioned it. We all spoke about common topics, memories, and how life was now, all the while laughing and smiling, and pretending that nothing was wrong.</p><p>After a few hours, everyone stood up and smiled at me.</p><p>“This has been a wonderful catchup, but I really should be going,” Richard said to me. “I am glad you are well again, Henry,” he added. I smiled.</p><p>“Thank you,” I said to him. I then turned to the group. “Thank you all for coming to see me,” I said to them.</p><p>“Well, what kind of friends would we be if we didn’t?” Hastie asked me, and I smiled kindly at this.</p><p>“You are all such wonderful friends to me. I do not deserve you all,” I said to them. Lisa hugged me.</p><p>“You deserve everything you have and more, Henry,” she told me. Lucy rolled her eyes.</p><p>“Alright. Alright. Let’s leave Henry ‘ere to rest up,” Lucy said to Lisa, practically prying her off me. “Before I begin to get jealous,” Lucy half-whispered and half hissed. Lisa laughed and kissed Lucy.</p><p>“Lucy’s right. We all should head out, and let Henry rest,” John said, smiling at me.</p><p>“Thank you all again for coming to see me,” I said to him.</p><p>“Goodbye Henry,” Lisa called to me as she and Lucy headed out of the room. Richard nodded his head at me, smiling, and he then left the room.</p><p>“I should go too. I have a lot of work to do,” Hastie said to me. I nodded my head, not mentioning anything he had told me not to.</p><p>“Goodbye, Hastie,” I called to him as he left the room.</p><p>“Goodbye, Henry. I hope you are well enough to go out soon enough,” Richard called to me on his way out of my room.</p><p>“I shall leave, and prepare your lunch,” Poole informed me, and with that, he, Molly, and Bradshaw left the room.</p><p>“I am glad you are well, Henry,” John said to me.</p><p>“I am glad you all stopped by, but you really did not have to,” I replied.</p><p>“Well, you are our friend. We would not have missed making sure you are alright for the world,” he said to me. I nodded my head.</p><p>“If you ever fell ill, which let us hope you never do, you know that we all would rush over to your place in a heartbeat as soon as we heard that you were feeling better, right?” I said. John smiled and chuckled a little.</p><p>“Yes. I know. You are a good friend, Henry,” he said. He then sighed and walked towards the door.</p><p>“You are a good friend as well, John,” I said to him. </p><p>“Be careful, Henry,” he called to me, before closing the doors. I was going to inquire about what he wished me to be careful of, however, he left too quickly for me to ask him. I sighed, and check the clock. It was only one in the afternoon. I sighed and got out of bed. My stomach growled at me as if accusing me of not feeding it. As if it were my fault that I had been unconscious for a long while. I made my way towards my nightstand and looked at myself in the mirror. From what I could see, I had a gash on my forehead. It was nothing severe, however now that I had noticed it, it had begun to sting. I supposed that the cut must have come from my fall. I then felt a stinging pain in my side and lifted the hem of my shirt. I bit my lip to keep from letting out a panicked cry. There was another gash there. This one must have been serious, for it had been stitched. I looked down at my nightstand and saw a shirt lying there, folded. I carefully unfolded the shirt, and I could not hold back my shock as I stared at the shirt. I saw a large, crimson stain on the shirt, and I knew immediately where that came from. The stain was in the same spot as where my cut had been. I touched the shirt, running my hand over the crimson stain, and once again gasped from shock. There should have been a cut in the stitching of the shirt. If I had gotten injured, and my shirt had dyed a crimson shade, surely my shirt would have had some sort of tear in it. It was not possible that my shirt had not been torn, meanwhile, my skin had been. It was just not possible. I shook my head. This was all too bizarre. The gash in my forehead was understandable. Perhaps the fall had injured my skin layer and not just my brain. However, that left more questions as well. How did I get that cut? It was possible that I fell on something sharp, or my head hit something sharp, so that answered that question. Mildly. However, the more pressing question still gnawed at me. How did I get the gash in my stomach? I shook my head. I knew that John would scowl me for stressing so much about this. I was just about to lie back down when I heard a scream.</p><p>“John! Hastie! Stop it!” I heard Lisa scream. I raced out of my room, pulling my shirt back down, and throwing the bloodied one on to the bed. I raced downstairs, only to see the group at my front door. It appeared that none of them had left.</p><p>“Take it back! You had no right to say that!” John screamed at Hastie as he threw a punch right at the bridge of Hastie’s nose. I was shocked. John was not normally one to fight, unless in a courtroom. Lisa and Lucy were staring at the two men, a look of both horror and shock on their faces. Richard was trying to calm his cousin; however, his attempts were to no avail.</p><p>“What is going on here?!” I called. Everyone stopped and looked towards me.</p><p>“Henry… I did not notice that you had left your room,” John called to me. I saw Hastie raise his fist, and my eyes widened.</p><p>“John! Look out!” I screamed, but I was too late. Hastie had already punched John in the back of the head.</p><p>“You and I both know I was right!” Hastie screamed, and with that, he stormed out of my manor, slamming the heavy doors behind him.</p><p>“Are you alright, John?” I asked, rushing to his side. John smiled at me.</p><p>“Yes. I am fine. You should be in bed,” he said. I resisted the urge to roll my eyes at him.</p><p>“What was that all about?” I asked.</p><p>“Well, John and Hastie ‘ere decided to get into a little fight,” Lucy said.</p><p>“Hastie said something very rude about you, and John was defending your honor,” Lisa informed me. I hugged John.</p><p>“Thank you, my dear friend, however, I do not wish for you to injure yourself in my name,” I said to him. John hugged me back.</p><p>“Thank you, but he had no right to say what he did,” he said, before lightly pushing me off.</p><p>“We should really go now. Henry, get some rest,” he said to me, and with that, he, Richard, Lisa, and Lucy all headed out of the door.</p><p>“Goodbye,” I called, before standing. Though John had insisted that he was fine, the scene I had seen before gnawed at my mind. John was not a violent man. He never had been. Why had no one told me what happened in better detail? I looked at the door, my confusion was written on my face and spoke one question aloud:</p><p>“What did Hastie, my old friend, say to make you attack him in my name, John?”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Events Of: March 4, 8:00 am– 12:00pm, 1887:</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Alas, for the rest of that whole month, I would never get the answer to the question that I had asked myself in that quiet, awkward foyer of my house. Over the rest of that month, I had been recovering from the events of January. Poole insisted that I did not work on the case for the rest of the month. I would have tried to argue with him, however, I knew that my argument would do me no good. I had reluctantly agreed, and for the month of February, I had nothing to do with the case.</p><p>However, as soon as it was the first of March, I resumed my work. I contacted John. John had explained that while I was unconscious, three more people had been found dead. The bishop of Basingstoke. General Lord Glossop, and Sir Archibald Proops. All members of the board of governors. These were all people that were not only highly protected, but all were people that hardly anyone knew where they were located at most times, with the exception of the board meetings, in which everyone knew where they were. However, according to the information John had given me, all three men were not killed while the board meetings were taking place. Not only that, but all three were killed at different locations. Hardly anyone knew where they lived as well, and yet Lord Glossop and Sir Archibald Proops had both been murdered at their houses. The rest of the board members were placed under royal protection, and as of the day that they were placed under protection, none of them had said that they had been attacked, nor had anyone attempted to attack the remaining board members.</p><p>“I realize that I have asked this question before, but do you think this is the work of a serial killer?” I asked John. John sighed.</p><p>“If only the board members had been killed in this manner, I could say without any doubt that this is a serial killer we are dealing with. However, there is still the murder of Lucy’s sister that we must keep in mind,” John said to me. I nodded my head. Then, an idea popped into my mind.</p><p>“Perhaps that was a trial run?” I suggested. John gave me a confused look.</p><p>“Pardon?” he asked me.</p><p>“Perhaps the murderer was testing which way he was going to perform the crimes. Before I began a new experiment, I always look at all the possible ways I could perform a lab or an experiment. I test which way would be the most effective, and once I have chosen one, that is when I begin the real test. The ones that I document the results for. The ones that truly matter. Perhaps this was the murderer’s way of doing the same thing?” I explained to John. John nodded at this.</p><p>“That is possible. If that is the case, and Miss Charlotte’s murder was simply a test, then we are looking at a serial killer. If not, then we are simply looking at a killer that strikes at random,” John said to me.</p><p>“Well, assuming we are looking at a serial killer, that still begs a few questions,” I said.</p><p>“Such as?” John asked.</p><p>“Well, how was it possible that the murderer was able to kill four members of the board of governors without getting caught? Also, why chose those members of the board? Not just that, but why members of the board of governors? There are many groups of both men and women that would be considered powerful groups in London, so why the board of governors?” I suggested. John nodded.</p><p>“Well, they are not the kindest group of people in London,” he said to me. I nodded, remembering how they rejected my proposal for my old project, the one that would have been my greatest achievement, assuming that it had not failed. They had been quite rude about my work, and even though I would never go to the length of murdering any of them, I must admit with shame that I was quite upset with them at the time of the rejection.</p><p>“They are harsh when they reject ideas,” I told John. John’s eyes widened.</p><p>“Yes! That’s genius! Henry, by god! You are amazing!” John exclaimed. I gave him a confused look.</p><p>“What do you mean by that? What did I say?” I asked, not sure why John had gotten so excited so suddenly.</p><p>“Henry, don’t you see?! That could be quite the clue!” he shouted. I could not shake my confusion.</p><p>“I still do not understand,” I said.</p><p>“The murderer could be someone that was rejected by the board of governors, or had an idea that they were asking about be reject by the board!” John excitedly yelled. I smiled.</p><p>“Of course!” I excitedly exclaimed, before sighing sadly. “However, that leaves quite the amount of people to go through,” I sighed out. John sighed as well.</p><p>“That is true. The board of governors is one of the most famed in London, and most go there to request help with various projects,” John said, sounding defeated.</p><p>“Yes. That is true. Most that have ties to medical, physical, chemical, or religious work go there…” I said, before smiling once more. “John! By god that’s it! The murderer, if they did have the motive that we thought of, must have something to do with either medical, physical, chemical, or religious work! Those are the only reasons of which one would approach that board!” I exclaimed. It was true that on their own, many different topics were covered under their word, however, as a group, they only discuss a few topics. I knew this because when I went to propose my idea, I was asked whether I was there to speak about medical, physical, chemical, or religious matters. Only those four things.</p><p>“Henry, that is amazing! That will narrow down the suspect list significantly!” John yelled out.</p><p>“I am glad I could be of assistance,” I said to John. John looked at the wall, looking quite nervous.</p><p>“Henry, let us keep this new information between the two of us, shall we?” he said.</p><p>“If that is what you feel best, I shall keep this information to myself,” I promised John, although I was unsure of why he wished for this information to be kept a secret.</p><p>“Thank you, Henry. You are truly an amazing friend,” he said to me, before standing up. I smiled at him, and we both walked towards the front door. I saw him out and then closed the door, sighing.</p><p>“I shall be back,” I called to Poole, Molly, and Bradshaw. I did not wait for a reply. I walked out of the front door, coat in hand. It was not cold outside, however, there was rain falling. At least it was not snowing. I sighed and made my way over to Richard’s house. I knocked on the door.</p><p>“Can I open it?” I heard a young female voice call.</p><p>“No! Now hush!” I could hear Richard yell. Just then, the door open, and I saw a young girl staring up at me.</p><p>“Hello, Sir. Are you looking for my brother, Richard?” she asked me.</p><p>“Brother?” I asked, confused. I looked into the house, and saw three other girls, sitting on the couch. They all looked around the same age and looked quite younger than Richard.</p><p>“Emily! Get away from the door now!” Richard yelled. He then looked at me.</p><p>“Richard…” I started to say, but he then got up, and raced to the door, pulling me inside.</p><p>“Henry… you… you must be very confused,” he said to me.</p><p>“You do not have siblings! You told everyone that!” I blurted out. Richard smiled sadly at me.</p><p>“Yes. I did. That is because these four are not my biological siblings. You see, my mother had children recently with another man that was not my father. She had known for quite some time that her husband was having an affair with another woman, and she had become unhappy living with him. She left him and had children with another man. Father found out, and… well… let us say that mother is not around anymore. I look after the four of them alone,” he said. “I could not tell anyone because of the fact that they were the products of my mother, and a man that was not her husband,” he explained. All four girls ran up, hugging Richard.</p><p>“We get so bored!” one complained.</p><p>“Richard is so boring!” another agreed.</p><p>“Can you be our friend?!” another excitedly yelled at me.</p><p>“Yes, can you?” the one Richard had called Emily said to me. I stared at Richard.</p><p>“The one that had spoken first is Evangeline. The little brat that called me annoying is Evelyn. The one that asked you to be their friend is Emma, and you already know Emily,” Richard told me, sensing my confusion.</p><p>“Are they all the same age?” I asked. Richard nodded his head.</p><p>“Yes. My mother nearly passed giving birth to them. The doctors say it is a miracle she survived, as well as the fact that all four girls survived,” Richard explained. “Anyways, why did you come here? I assume you came to ask something?” Richard asked me. I nodded, remembering why I had made my way over to his house.</p><p>“I was wondering if you knew if John was alright. I know that he can become emotional about cases that have a similar manner to this case, and I was wondering if he was alright,” I said. Richard nodded.</p><p>“Yes, I understand where your worries come from, however, I can assure you that John is quite fine. I promise,” Richard said to me. I nodded my head.</p><p>“I suppose that is all I came to ask you,” I said to him.</p><p>“Well, if that is the case, I suppose this is goodbye for the day then. I apologize if I seem rude, however, it is just that I have quite a bit to do today,” Richard said. I nodded, understanding the feeling.</p><p>“Have a good day, Richard,” I said to him. Richard nodded, and I walked out the door.</p><p>“Bye Mister!” I heard all four girls call.</p><p>“Goodbye, Evangeline, Emily, Emma, and Evelyn,” I called to them. I closed the door behind me and made my way back home. As I walked, I thought about the case. I could not believe that someone would murder so many people. It was wrong! It was horrid, and it was unbelievable! Why anyone would do that to so many people was beyond me. “That monster! Someday soon, they will be behind bars!” I screamed.</p><p>“Oh, do not count on it, Doctor Henry,” someone called. I looked around, but could not see anyone. I looked over to a wooded part of the path I was walking on, figuring that they would be hiding there.</p><p>“Who are you?” I called.</p><p>“Who do you think, dearest Henry?” the voice asked back. It gave a chuckled.</p><p>“You coward! How dare you hide your face from me?! You hurt people that I cared about!” I screamed.</p><p>“Cared about?! Why would you care about those monsters from the board?! They were never good people! They were monsters!” the figured screamed. The voice was most definitely that of a male.</p><p>“Why risk letting me know who you are?” I screamed, before shutting my mouth. There was only one reason. The murderer was stalking his next victim, and toying with him. Not him. Me! My eyes widened, and I began to back away from the path. I heard a deep chuckle.</p><p>“There is no need to have such a frightening expression on your face, dear Henry. I know what you must be thinking. You are worried that you are my next victim, am I correct?” the murderer called to me.</p><p>“A mask. They must be wearing a mask. Their voice is distorted, meaning that something must be covering it,” I thought to myself.</p><p>“Trying to figure out if I have a mask on, are we?” the murderer asked me. I stared at the figure, shocked.</p><p>“How did you know that?” I demanded. The figured chuckled.</p><p>“I know you well, Henry, and the expression on your face is one that betrays you. You would think that someone who knows your life well would be able to figure out something as simple as that,” the murderer slyly replied.</p><p>“How do you know me?” I screamed at the murderer.</p><p>“You will have to figure that out yourself, dearest Henry,” the figure called to me. I then saw the figure runoff, moving swiftly between the trees, as though he were dancing.</p><p>“Where are you going?” I yelled.</p><p>“You never answered my question, dear Henry, but I know you were worried that you were my next victim. You do not have to worry that pretty little head of yours! I would never cause you harm! You are far too cute to kill!” the figured called to me, before disappearing from my range of sight. Cute? Was… was I just called cute by the very same man that John and I were trying to put behind bars?! Why, out of all people, did this have to happen to me? What was so wrong with me that this had to happen to me? It was clear now. Fate hated me! I sighed to myself and walked back to my manor.</p><p>Once I arrived home, I shut the doors behind me and locked them tightly. I then went all around my manor and locked all of the doors and windows that lead outside.</p><p>“Master, what are you doing?” Poole asked me.</p><p>“Nothing. I… I simply find it cold in here,” I said. I felt horrible for lying to Poole, but I could not tell him the truth. Placing him in danger like that was the last thing I wanted to do. I checked my watch. It was almost noon.</p><p>“Master, shall I prepare something for you to eat?” Poole asked me. I nodded my head.</p><p>“That would be lovely. Poole, I shall be in my study. Please do not come inside unless I instruct you to. Tell that to Molly and Bradshaw as well,” I told him. Poole nodded.</p><p>“Very well, Master,” Poole said to me, before bowing his head, and leaving. I made my way to my study and closed the door behind me. I sat down on my desk.</p><p>“Now, to get to work documenting what I have experienced today, as well as before. Once I am done, I shall contact John immediately. He shall…” I began to say to myself, before feeling a splitting pain in my head. “Not again!” I screamed, before slinking towards a chair. I sat myself down, and not soon after, fell unconscious.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Events Of: April 6, 10:00 am– 1:00pm, 1887:</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p></p><blockquote>
  <p>
    <em>I apologize again for the length between the two journal entries; however, the rest of March was really quite busy. Thankfully for me, and all those that cared about me, my loss of consciousness in March had not resulted in yet another concussion. I was quite thankful for this. I had awoken after what felt like only a few mere moments, only to find that I had been unconscious for more than several hours. No one had entered my study, as I had not been moved from where I had first lost consciousness. After that, I had talked to John a few more times in the month, but not as much as I wished I could have. My month had mostly been filled with nightmare filled nights, and business filled days.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>The beginning of April had been the same. I had not come in contact with the murderer again, and feared that he had moved out of London. While this would be wonderful for the people of London, it would not be good for anyone else. Remarkably, the murders had not been placed in the papers. The deaths of those from the board of governors had been called either sickness, or an accident, dependent on which paper you read. There was no mention anywhere about Charlotte’s murder either. I found this quite odd, due to the fact that London was normally buzzing with information when a murder took place on its streets. I had asked John about this, and he had also found it odd. I still had not told him about the fact that the murderer had spoken with me. I did not wish for John to be injured, or worse, all due to me asking him for help. I could not do that to him, just as I could not do that to Poole, or Molly, or Bradshaw, or anyone of my friends.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>After another nightmare filled night, I awoke late, unable to escape from my nightmares. I check my watch. It was already ten-o-clock. I sighed, got out of my bed, and walked downstairs.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Good morning, Master. Did you sleep any better?” Molly asked me. Bradshaw lightly hit her on the head.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Molly! I thought Poole told us not to mention that!” he scolded. From the tone of his voice, I supposed that he was attempting to make it so that I did not hear him say this, however… let us just say that Bradshaw did not have the quietest of voices. I chuckled nervously.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“I… it is really alright. I… I slept quite a bit better than before,” I lied. I did not wish for them to worry about my health. They all did so much for me, and to ask them to constantly worry for my health would not only be rude, but it would be selfish.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“I am glad to hear that, Master,” Molly said to me. I smiled at her.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Thank you,” I said.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Master, considering the time, would you still like us to prepare you breakfast?” Molly asked me. I shook my head.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“No thank you, Molly. I shall simply have lunch, and skip breakfast for today,” I said to her. To be honest, after the nightmare I had during the night, hunger was the last thing on my mind.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“I am going to visit John at his manor,” I told Molly and Bradshaw. Suddenly there was a knock on the door. Bradshaw laughed.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“I suppose you will not have to go far. We had forgotten to mention, Poole had been contacted by John while you were asleep, asking him if he could make his way over here to talk with you,” Bradshaw told me. I smiled, and made my way towards the front door. I opened the door, and Poole bowed to me. John smiled, and hugged me.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Henry, it feels as though it has been quite sometimes since we have last talked. We have a lot to discuss,” John said to me. I nodded.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Please have a seat, John,” I said. “Can I offer you anything to eat or drink?” I asked him. John shocked his head, and sat down. I sat down across from him.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Henry, there have been two more murders. One was Lady Beaconsfield,” John told me.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Another board member? I thought the ones remaining alive were in protective custody?” I said, my shock clear in my voice. John nodded his head.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“They were, but you know… knew Lady Beaconsfield. She was far too stubborn to be kept locked away safely for long periods of time,” John said to me.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“I cannot believe it. That means that Mr. Danvers Carew, Lisa’s father, and Simon Stride, Lisa’s past lover, are the only board members remaining alive,” I said to him. John sighed.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Which brings me to the second murder. Henry, Simon Stride was found murdered yesterday,” he informed me. I stared at him.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“What about Lisa’s father?! Is he alright?!” I worriedly yell. John nodded his head.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Yes. Yes. He is quite fine. He is the only one that is left in protected custody,” he said.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“John, do you think he will be safe?” I asked. John nodded once more.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Yes, I am. London’s finest police and security members are protecting him,” John assured me.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Why are these murders not in the papers?!” I yelled, unsettled by the fact that these would simply be put off as accidents, or illnesses.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“I was wondering about that a lot, actually. I had an idea, but it is probably just nonsense,” John said to me.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“What is it?” I asked him.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Well, most people would assume that the murderer is someone that is less proper than most, or is someone that lives alone in some ruined part of the city, correct?” John said. I nodded my head.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Yes. That sounds correct,” I replied. I was thinking of the murderer as someone that fit that description almost perfectly, but I felt bad admitting that to John.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Well, what if that picture is flawed? What if the murderer is someone that is very popular, is well known, and has a lot of contact with other people of high status?” John asked me. My eyes widened. I had never thought of that, but that did make sense. If the murderer did know people that were of higher status, it would be extremely easy for them to keep the deaths, or at least the proper reason that the people died, from the papers.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“That does make sense,” I said to John. John gave me a confused and shocked look.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Really? I… I had assumed that it was simply an idea that would be pushed to the back of my mind due to it being bad, however, if you really think there could be a lead there, we should start investigating as soon as possible!” John said.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“That sounds good, however, how do we know whom we should start basing our investigation on?” I asked.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Well, from what we have gathered so far, the person has to be someone that has contacts in high places. They also have to be someone that wished to gather something from the board of governors, but was rejected by them,” John said to me.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“There is quite a number of people that applies to,” I said to him. It was true. Most of the people that were noblemen, or had a higher status had asked for something from the board of governors once time in their lives, if not more than once.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“That is true, however I am sure the board has kept a record of the people that have asked for something from them in the last few years. We shall start there,” John said.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“That sounds like a great plan,” I said to him.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“I shall go and see Lisa’s father, and see if he happens to have the files with him,” John said to me. I nodded my head.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“That sounds like an excellent plan,” I replied.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Lunch is ready, Master,” Poole called to me.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“I should go,” John said, standing up.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Wait! Please stay for lunch! With this news, I could certainly use the company to get my mind off of things,” I lied to John. Well, partially lied. I did want to take my mind off of things, but I was also quite worried for both of our safety. I did not wish for either of us to be the next victim of the murderer.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Alright. I suppose I could stay. I have nothing else that I need to get done this afternoon, other than contacting Lisa’s father,” John replied.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>After we were finished lunch, John got up, thanked me for my help, as well as for lunch, and left the house.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Henry. Do you happen to have the time?” he asked me on his way out. I nodded, and checked my watch.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“It is five minutes to one,” I told him.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Thank you. I shall be off now,” he said to me. It was then that I saw a figure, standing behind on of the trees outside of my manor. He had a mask on, however I could still see his mouth. He smirked at me, and blew me a kiss.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“John! Look out! Do not l…” I began to say, before feeling a familiar pain in my head. However, this was much worse than anything I had ever felt before. My head felt as though it was going to split in two. The pain was so immense, that I feared death.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Henry!” was the last thing I heard before losing consciousness.</em>
  </p>
</blockquote>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Events Of: Somewhere between April 6 and July 10, 1887:</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>“Henry! Oh Henry!” a voice nagged. “Where are you?!” it screamed. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Leave my friends alone!” I screamed back at it. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Henry! Henry help me! Please!” I heard John screamed out. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>“John! Hang on! I will save you!” I called to him. I raced through the hallways of a manor that looked familiar to me, however, I could not place whose manor it was. I had been in this manor many times before, however, for some reason, my mind could not conjure the thought of who owned it for the life of me. That was not my main concern either. I had to save John, as well as my other friends. I had to save them, or die trying. I heard an ear-piercing screaming coming from a room at the end of a long, dark hallway. I raced to the door and quickly opened it. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>“It took you long enough, dearest Henry,” the murderer said. He sat on a large thrown. Sitting underneath him were five figures. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Henry! Help!” I heard one of them call. Lisa. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Henry! Hurry up and help us already! Get over ‘ere!” another screamed. Lucy. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Henry! Save the others! I can save myself!” one of them screamed. John. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Henry, please save my daughter and her lover!” another pleaded. Lisa’s father. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Maybe they can save themselves, but I cannot! Please help me!” the last figure screamed, however, I could not tell who it was. Richard? Hastie? Someone else? </em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Who is missing from this picture, darling Henry?” the murderer taunted me. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Who are you?! What do you want from me?!” I screamed at him. The murderer laughed. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>“What do I wish to achieve from this little game?” he repeated. The murderer gave a chuckled, stood up from his throne, and made his way down to where I was standing. The doors that I had entered with closed themselves, leaving me with no exit. The murderer glided closer to me, his movements perfect. The way his feet glided, it was as if he were skating. He smirked, and I noticed once more than his face, with the exception of his mouth, was covered with a dark black mask. I backed away until I felt my back hit the wall. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>“L... leave my friends and I alone!” I shouted. I suppose I was trying to sound strong, however, the sentence came out as more of a desperate plead. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>“I swore to you already that I would do you no harm, dear Henry. Would you like to know why?” he said to me, moving even closer. We were almost touching now. He slammed his arms onto the wall behind me, making it impossible for me to escape his gaze. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>“W… why?” I asked, frightened what would happen to my friends and me if I did not play along. The murderer chuckled and rested his head on my shoulder. He brought his lips up to my earlobe and chuckled darkly. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>“I find you… intriguing. You have caught my interest, darling Henry. I think you and I would make an excellent team. Also…” he started, before moving closer to me. “I think you are quite… cute,” he whispered in the shell of my ear, before pulling away. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>“What the devil are you talking about?! Team! I would never…” I began to yell, the murderer pulled away. His hands were still on the wall; however, his face was back a tad bit more. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>“I suppose I shall have to work on convincing you about how well we would work together,” he said, and I inhaled sharply. I closed my eyes and braced myself for pain. What I felt next was something I would have never imagined the murderer would do. Not even with everything he had said to me. I felt a warm sensation on my lips, and my eyes shot open. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>The murderer’s lips were on mine! I could not believe it! My first kiss had been stolen by a man that had stolen so many lives! I tried to free myself from the kiss, however, it was to no avail. The murderer chuckled at my attempts, only kissing me longer. His hands eventually moved from the wall, and he pulled back. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>“What… what was that for?” I shockingly managed to ask, considering that I still shocked about the whole situation. The murderer chuckled. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>“What? Do not try and tell me that you did not enjoy that?” he taunted. He then placed a finger to his lip, acting as though he was considering a very important decision. “I am going to make a deal with you,” he said to me. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>“What sort of deal?” I snarled, sure this was a trap. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Though you are cute when you are angry, there is no need to believe that this is some sort of trap, dear Henry. Here is the deal. I will let you and your friends go, under one circumstance,” the murderer promised me. I sighed. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>“What would that be?” I asked him. He chuckled. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Tell me the truth. Did you enjoy that little kiss? Your first, if I am not mistaken,” the murderer asked, and I felt my face growing red. Was it really that obvious to him that I had not been kissed before? I felt terribly embarrassed. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Lie to him!” my mind screamed at me. It was an option, was it not?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Oh, and dear Henry, if you think of lying to me, you really better get that annoying thought out of your head. You see, if you lie, I will know, and I will kill one of your friends,” the murderer warned me. He then moved closer to me once more, his face once again against the shell of my ear. His body was almost pressed against mine. “So, dear Henry, what is your answer?” he asked me. I sighed, and looked into the murderer’s eyes. I had to tell the truth. There was no other way. I sighed. All those years of hiding my deepest secret, all going to waste due to a murderer! All those years of pretending I was someone I was not… my precious façade… all wasted. Well, I was most likely going to die. It was unlikely that the murderer would even keep his word, and spare those I cared about, as well as myself. What, in the long term of thing, could I possibly have left to lose?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Well, here goes… everything,” I whispered to myself. I sighed, and pulled the murderer closer to me, my lips crashing against his. After a few moments, I pulled away. The murderer was smirking at me, chuckling. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>“I will take that as a yes, darling,” </em>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Events Of: July 10, 8:30 pm– 10:00pm, 1887:</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>I awoke with a scream. I could feel the fact that my body was drenched with sweat. I looked around me but did not see the manor from my dream. Instead, I saw my own bedroom.</p><p>“Henry?!” someone screamed from outside of my resting quarters.</p><p>“Henry?! Are you alright?! Someone get that door open right now!” another voice screamed. I heard banging on the door. I lifted my head, attempting to make my way to the door, before feeling sharp pain and falling back. The door the busted open, and the same group that had comforted me before came into my room.</p><p>“Henry?! How, by god, did you manage to get the door locked?! Why did you lock it?!” John screamed at me. Lisa placed her hand on his shoulder. I bit my lip. Not due to the fact that I was upset that John had gotten mad at me for locking the door, but for another fact.</p><p>I had not locked the door. I had only just woken up. I could not remember anything, other than falling unconscious, as well as my dream. Other than that, I had been asleep and had not ever gotten up. That brought up some other disturbing issue, such as how I went to the restroom while I was asleep, as well as how long I was asleep, however, the more pressing issue was how did the door get locked? It was possible that someone locked the door, and left through my bedroom window, but that would mean that they would have had to have gotten past Poole, Molly, and Bradshaw. That also meant that… that it had to be someone I trusted, or that knew me well enough to say that they were visiting me. Either that, or it could have been a doctor that locked the door. But why lock the door? What purpose did that action have? Unless… unless the person that locked my door was the murderer, and they had locked it recently planning on murdering me in my sleep! I shook my head. I had to make sure that I did not cause any of my friends to worry.</p><p>“I am sorry. I… I felt ill and did not wish for anyone else to catch whatever I had, so I locked the door,” I lied. John gave me a questioning look but nodded his head.</p><p>“Well, now that we’re all ‘ere, and now that Henry is awake, a few of us should head out. Let the poor doctor rest,” Lucy said. Lisa nodded, walked up, and hugged me.</p><p>“Please Henry, never scare us again like that,” Lisa said to me. Richard shook my hand and then left. Hastie did the same thing, however, his eyes held a spark of… guilt? Sadness? I could not place it, but something within his eyes was… off. After every one, with the exception of John, had left, I sighed and rested my head on my pillow.</p><p>“John, how long had I been unconscious?” I asked him. Part of me did not wish to know the answer to that question, however part of me knew I had to ask.</p><p>“It is July 10<sup>th</sup>. You passed out on April 6,” John informed me.</p><p>“It has been over a month!” I exclaimed.</p><p>“Yes,” John said.</p><p>“Lisa’s father?! Is he alright?! Were there any more murders?!” I asked, panicking now. How much exactly had I missed?! John sat down on my bed.</p><p>“Henry, calm down. This much excitement is not good for you. Lisa’s father is quite fine, however, there were three more murders,” John told me.</p><p>“Who?” I asked.</p><p>“Three teachers from… well… the university that we all attended,” John informed me.</p><p>“Did we… did we know them?” I asked, my voice shaking. John nodded his head sadly.</p><p>“Yes. You, Richard, Hastie, and I had all three of the teachers,” he replied. I buried my face in my pillows.</p><p>“John, do you think… do you think we will be next?” I asked him. John placed his hand on my shoulder.</p><p>“Henry, I have something else to tell you,” he said, avoiding my question. Not that I could blame him. I did not wish to answer that question either.</p><p>“What is it?” I asked, praying that it was not another death.</p><p>“Lisa’s father found the files. I had a look through them and highlighted a list of possible suspects. I… I have to warn you though. You are one of the suspects. Only because you were rejected by the board of governors, however, it would be unfair for me to take you off without a proper investigation,” John informed me. I nodded my head.</p><p>“That makes sense, and I shall not hold it against you, dear friend,” I said to him. John smiled at me.</p><p>“There are about ten suspects that I have found. Most of the people that had been rejected by the board of governors had moved out of the country or had airtight alibies, thus leaving us with our ten suspects. Nine, if we do not include you,” John said. I nodded. That made sense. If the people could not get what they wanted here, why bother to stay? For me, I had a life here, and I was more than willing to continue my research without the help of the board of governors. However, most would simply ask for help somewhere else, which, as I stated before, made sense.</p><p>“Who else is on the list?” I asked.</p><p>“Lady Guinevere, Lord Nellie, Lord and Lady Hare, Lady Aberdare, Mrs. Grenville-Heath, Lord Devere, Lord Leopold, you, and Hastie,” he told me. His eyes then widened. He stared at me.</p><p>“Hastie?!” we both said at the same time.</p><p>“Why on earth would Hastie be on this list?! His family’s business would never need the endorsements of the board of governors!” John exclaimed, his confusion clear. I sighed and told him everything about Hastie’s secret. I felt horrible, but if Hastie truly was a suspect, then withholding information would be dangerous for both of us. Plus, there was no way that Hastie was the murderer. He was my friend. He had been for years. Why on earth would he do anything like this? There was no way it was him. It… it just was not possible. After I had finished telling John Hastie’s secret, he stared at me, confused.</p><p>“Henry, there is no possible way that that can be true,” John said to me.</p><p>“Why so?” I asked him.</p><p>“Henry, do you not know?” John asked me, his face showing his confusion clearly once more.</p><p>“What is it, John?” I said.</p><p>“Henry, Hastie is gay,” John told me. I stared at him. Part of me was confused, and yet part of me had questioned that he had a wife and a child on the way in the first place. Hastie, for as long as I had known him, had never taken a liking to any woman. He had never shown any interest in any woman, but I simply thought it was because he did not wish to settle. I felt my face grow red. How had I not guessed that before? Why had he never told me that? We were friends, were we not? Then what reason did Hastie have to lie about his life?</p><p>“Why would Hastie lie to me?” I said aloud. John shook his head.</p><p>“I do not know; however, I feel as though we should not assume that he was hiding something dangerous,” John said to me. Despite him saying this, I could see that he was wondering why Hastie would lie as well.</p><p>“John. If Hastie does not have a wife, and his wife is not with child… then why does he work at a morgue? Why would he ask the board of governors for an endorsement?” I asked. Those two questions burned at my mind, and I had no choice but to ask them. John sighed.</p><p>“I do not know, Henry. I was thinking the same thing. I… I do not wish to blame our dear friend for such horrid actions, however… I… I cannot help but find loopholes in his alibies. I… I am a friend to him; however, I am also a lawyer. I… I crack cases for a living. I… I can read people easier than most. Henry… I want it to be someone else,” John said to me. I bit my lip, regretting asking my question.</p><p>“As do I,” was all I could bring myself to say as a response.</p><p>“I shall look into everyone else, and I shall tell you if I find any evidence against them… however… with this new information, and the information I have recovered over the last month… we should most definitely keep Hastie as a suspect,” John said sadly.</p><p>“I shall look into five of the cases as well. That shall leave you with less work,” I said to him. John nodded.</p><p>“I shall look into your case, for obvious reasons, however, I would also like to request that I be the one to look into Hastie’s case. You are closer to him than I ever was, and I do not wish for this incident to tear the two of you apart, assuming that Hastie is innocent,” Hastie said. I nodded my head. </p><p>“I shall look into the cases of Lady Guinevere, Lord Nellie, Lord and Lady Hare, and Lady Aberdare,” I told Hastie. That would take care of the first five suspects, leaving him with the last five.</p><p>“Thank you, Henry. Though I feel horrible for asking you to do so much, with your health and all, having someone assist me would help us put the murderer behind bars much quicker,” John said to me. I smiled at him.</p><p>“I honestly feel fine. Despite being unconscious for over a month, I feel strangely fine,” I said to him. John smiled and then got up.</p><p>“I shall see you later, Henry,” he said to me.</p><p>“As I will you, John,” I replied, before watching John walked out of the bedroom. He closed the door behind him, and I fell back on the bed. I looked at my watch. It was almost ten. I sighed and then yawned. I was more tired than I had realized. I recovered myself with my blanket and fell into a quiet slumber.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Events Of: July 31, 4:00 pm – 8:00 pm, 1887:</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p></p><blockquote>
  <p>
    <em>I had been quite busy over the last eleven days. It was quite hard to find the address of most of the people whose cases I was supposed to look in to. Lady Guinevere and Lord Nellie had moved manors several times after the rejects of both their separate ideas. Shockingly, it had turned out that the two were having an affair, thus them both moving the exact same amount of times, closer and closer together. Due to the fact that a marriage between the two families would not be legal, neither could legally move into a home with the other, however this did not stop the two from wishing to be together. Their situation made me think quite a bit about Lisa and Lucy. The law was not ready to allow their love, and yet it was a love that not only survived, it thrived. Finding the home of Lord and Lady Hare was not hard, however it was hard to persuade them to agree on a time that they could both speak to me. Not because they were busy, but because they were fighting the entire time in which I was attempting to speak to them. Last but not least, Lady Aberdare was hard to find due to the fact that she and her butler had ran off together. I eventually found them, and they both agreed to meet with me under one circumstance. That I do not inform Lady Aberdare’s family that she was still living in London. I agreed, of course, and we set a date.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>For the morning of July 31, I was busy readying the house for the number of guests I was about to have over. I decided to meet with all the suspects on the same day, thus making it easier for me to remember and keep track of the information they had told me. At around four-o-clock in the afternoon, I heard a knock on the door. Poole looked towards the door, and then glance in my direction. I nodded my head, and he opened the door.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Please do come in,” he said to me. “If it is not a bother, could you please introduce yourselves?” he added. I looked at the two. The first figure was a younger woman. She was dressed in a long gown, and had on a coat that looked as though it were made of fur. She had her hair in a long braid that flowed almost all the way to her hip. Standing next to her, holding her small arm, was a gentleman that wore a black tuxedo. His face wore a serious expression; however, I could see a tad bit of worry on his face.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“I am Lady Guinevere, and this is Lord Nellie,” the lady said. Her voice was quiet, and I could barely hear what she was saying.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Why did you call us here? I realize fully that our relationship is unlawful, however I am willing to pay the consequence for that. Leave my love out of this!” Lord Nellie yelled at me.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“This meeting does not concern that at all! I fully support both of you!” I answered back. I saw Lord Nellie relax a tad bit, and he nodded. “You are here because you are both murder suspects. I need to ask you a few questions,” I said.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“M… murder?” Lady Guinevere asked.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Yes. You see, quite a few deaths have been occurring in London’s streets over the past months, and my good friend and I have been attempting to figure out whom was responsible for these murders,” I informed them.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“When did the first murder take place?” Lord Nellie asked.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“It took place in December. On Christmas Eve, to be exact,” I told him.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“And you are certain that all the murders have been committed by the same person?” he asked. I nodded my head. Forgive me, reader, for only mentioning this now, however I had also looked at the photos of the other victims, and I had noticed the same odd dent in the head as with the first victim. I feel that this is important to mention, so please excuse me for not writing it sooner.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Yes. We are,” I said.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Well, it could not have been us then. You see, we may have had our manors changed, however we were both out of the country with two friends of ours. They can account for our alibies, and we have physical proof as well. Also, anyone that worked at the manor we were staying at can account for our whereabouts over the last few months,” Lady Guinevere told me. I noted this down.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Forgive my rudeness please, but whom were the friends you went away with?” I asked them. The two looked at each other.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“We cannot tell him,” I heard Lady Guinevere whisper to her lover.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“We must. It would be withholding information if we do not!” he insisted. Lady Guinevere sighed.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“My closest friend, Lady Aberdare, and her lover went with us,” she said to me. “I was not supposed to tell anyone because…” she started.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Because they had ran away, due to the fact that their love was like yours. A forbidden one. All simply because she was a noble, and her love was a butler,” I finished for her. She stared at me.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“How did you know that?!” she asked me.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“They are… or were… suspects, however, assuming that you’re alibies were true, that would excuse them as well. Forgive me, as I must check with them as well. They are supposed to arrive at five-o-clock, seeing as I thought that your interviews would take longer. You are both welcome to stay here,” I said.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“We happen to have documents proving where we were over the past few months. Would you like to assess them?” Lord Nellie asked me.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“That would be wonderful,” I said. I grabbed the papers from Lord Nellie.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Shall I prepare Lady Guinevere and Lord Nellie something to eat?” Poole asked me. I nodded my head.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Thank you, Poole. I shall retire to my room. Please make yourselves at home for the time being,” I said, before making my way to my study. I made notes about everything they had told me, checked the proof and sighed. Though I was happy that the interviews would not take long for the four of them, it also meant less people that could possibly be the murderers.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>At five-o-clock, I heard a knock on the door. I walked down the stairwell, my notebook in hand. I smiled at the two figures in the doorway.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Lady Aberdare?” I asked the female figure.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Yes. That would be me. This is Adami,” she said. I smiled.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“It is a pleasure to meet you both. Please, have a seat,” I said, motioning towards the couch. They both nodded, and sat down, only to gasp in shock as they saw the familiar face that awaited them on the couch.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Guinevere? Nellie?” Both said, clearly shocked.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“This man is not here to question our relationship. We need you to confess to your prior locations of which we all lived outside of the country,” Lord Nellie calmly explained.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Alright. We were, indeed, out of the country, starting in November of last year, until last month,” Lady Aberdare said to me. I noted this down.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Very good. I have seen the proof as well, and your alibi appears to be air tight. I will need the four of you to answer a few more questions, which will be asked by my servants,” I said. I looked over at Poole, Molly and Bradshaw, whom all nodded.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Lady Guinevere and Lady Aberdare. Please come with me,” Molly said. I smiled at how happy she sounded. I told her she could ask a few questions related to the case, but could also ask a few questions about what it is like to be a female noble. Molly, due to her upbringing, had not had much interaction with other younger women, and I figured this would be a wonderful way for her to make some friends, as well as help me with the case.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Lord Nellie, please follow me,” Poole said.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Adami, please follow me,” Bradshaw said. All four people nodded, and they followed the person whom had asked them. I sighed, and looked at my watch. It was nearly five-thirty, which meant that I had a tad bit over half an hour before Lady and Lord Hare arrived. I made my way to my office once more, and made a few more notes. Their alibies were air tight. With all the evidence they had given me, and with the confession of location from both parties, it made it nearly impossible for any of them to be the murderer. I sighed again. It would be too hard for all of them to fake all of this evidence, as well as fake perfectly matching alibies. This meant that the only other chances I had was to hope that either Lady or Lord Hare was the murderer, or that John had found the murderer amongst his group of witnesses, with the exception of Hastie and I, because it could not be either of us. It just could not be. I yawned. This had been quite exhausting already, and I still had two more people to question. John and I had also agreed to meet, and compare our notes. We had agreed to meet at seven, which gave me an hour to interview Lady and Lord Hare. I decided to speak with them separately, considering the fact that I thought I could get better information from them if they were not in the same room at the same time.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>After about half an hour, I made my way down the stairwell once more, sighing with both disappointment, as well as some relief, when I saw that the pair had not arrived yet. This relief fully turned to worry and disappointment when both failed to show up by fifteen after six.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Master, the other guests are seated in the dining room, away from where Lady and Lord Hare shall be, just as you instructed. Dinner has been served as well,” Poole informed me.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Thank you, Poole,” I said. Poole nodded, and handed me a stack of papers.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“These are the documents from all three meetings. Their alibi fits perfectly, and all told the same story, more or less,” Poole said to me. I nodded my head.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Thank you again, Poole,” I said. Just then, there was a knock on the door.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“It is Lady and Lord Hare!” a voice screamed. I checked my watch. It was twenty after five. Better late than never I supposed.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Please let yourselves in,” I said to them.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“You are not going to let us in?” I heard one of them call angerly. Poole looked at me, and I gave him an apologetic smile.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Thank you,” I whispered to him as he opened the door.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Took you long enough. Honestly, you bother us with your nonsense, and now you are rude to us! Who do you think you are?!” Lady Hare yelled at me. Lord Hare rolled his eyes at me.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“What a gentleman you are,” he said, sarcasm lacing his sentence. I had had enough at this point. Not that the other guests had been rude, however I was tired, frustrated, and to be honest, I had had enough of their rudeness over the various times I had had to contact the two.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Listen, I am trying to solve the murders of multiple victims. I have had to speak with the families of those that were brutally murdered. I have had to set up meetings with people that I considered co-workers to see if they are cold-blooded killers. I have had to see the cadavers of multiple people! Some of which I knew, and one of which was the younger sister of my ex-lover’s girlfriend!” I screamed at them. Lady Hare gasped, and Lord Hare shock his head.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“The disease is spreading,” he muttered.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“You dare say that about the people I care about! Loving someone that is of the same gender is not a disease, nor is it a crime! It is monster like you that make murders seem like child’s play! You go around acting as though you are better than everyone, and yet you yourselves cannot even admit that you are in an unhealthy relationship!” I screamed. “Back to what I was saying, I have had to see sights more gruesome and disturbing than you could imagine. Each murder I have investigated with my good friend, John, has seemed to grow more and more grewsome. The crime is filled with red, sticky blood everywhere. Skin is sometimes peeling off the bodies of the victims! The smell is so horrible that you feel as though you could die simply from the stench!” I added. Molly placed her hand on my shoulder, giving me a look of worry.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Master, you should not stress yourself so much,” she said to me. I smiled at her, nodding my head.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“I am fine, Molly,” I said to her.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Well, what a rude man you are,” Lady Hare scoffed.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Honestly. You are quite the horrible person,” Lord Hare said.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“You two really should get along quite a fair bit better. You are both intolerable,” I replied. Molly began to laugh at this, and Bradshaw did as well. Poole held in any laughter, however I could see him smiling from the corner of my eye.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“How dare you speak to us like that?!” Lady Hare screamed at me.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Is there a problem, Lord and Lady Hare? If you do not wish to comply with Henry here, and answer his questions, then I suppose I could always call in the police, and have you both arrested for obstruction of justice,” a voice threatened. We all turned to face the doorway. Standing there with obvious anger was John, glaring at Lady and Lord Hare.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Are you honestly threating to have us arrested?” Lord Hare screamed at John.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“How do you think you are?” Lady Hare yelled.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“I am simply a lawyer, however my job as a lawyer is to stand for justice, and if you both are obstructing justice, then I have no choice but to have you both arrested,” John explained.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Well, you are very lucky we are not murderers, because if we were, you would be dead!” Lord Hare yelled at John and I.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“We did not kill anyone. We have been settling our estates for the last few months, and we have been in our manors the entire few months. Simply ask our servants if you must,” Lady Hare admitted. I nodded my head, and wrote this new information down.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Thank you. You both may leave now,” I said to them.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Finally!” both said at the same time. With that, Lord and Lady Hare literally spun on their heels, and they left my manor. I sighed with a breath of relief.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Thank you for coming here early, John. I honestly do not know what I would have done had you not shown up,” I said to him. John smiled at me.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“It is never a problem, Henry. You do not need to thank me. I had heard tales and gossip about the kind of characters that Lord and Lady Hare were, and I figured that you may wish to have someone behind your back when speaking with them,” he told me. I nodded, and checked my watch. It had been an hour. I sighed at this.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“I am terrible sorry; however, I shall have to excuse myself. I have a few other quests that I must tend to,” I said to John.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“It is not an issue, Henry. I shall be waiting here for you when you finish,” he replied. I nodded my head. I walked over to the other guests, and smiled.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“You may all go home now. I have gotten the information that I had needed,” I said to them.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Thank you for the meal, as well as for keeping our location a secret,” Lord Nellie said to me. Lady Guinevere smiled at me, and hugged her husbands arm before yawning.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“We really should be going. I am sure you have things to do,” Lady Aberdare said to me.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Thank you all for coming here, and for your time,” I said to my guest. After saying our goodbyes, everyone but John was left in the room. Poole, Molly, and Bradshaw had all left, and I sighed.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“You look stressed,” John said to me. I smiled sadly at him.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“John… none of my suspects were the murders,” I said, before showing him the files and notes I had kept throughout the day. John looked over them, and nodded.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“These are look very well done, Henry. Thank you for doing these,” he said to me.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“What did you find, John?” I asked him. John did not look up at me.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Yes. All of these notes look very precise. You did a very good job,” John complemented me.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“John… what did you find?” I asked again. John still did not look at me.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Your hand writing has improved quite a bit,” John said, a weak laugh following his sentence. I knew something was wrong.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“John! What did you find?!” I screamed at him.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Nothing! I found nothing! Other than our dearest friend’s guilt! I found nothing to prove that it was not Hastie!” he screamed back at me. I stared at him, and it was then that I saw the true sadness in his eyes. I had not seen such sadness ever in his eyes.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“John… I am so sorry,” I said, my voice lower.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“No. I am sorry. I should not have raised my voice at you. None of this is your fault, however... I… I cannot stand to think that Hastie… Hastie could have done these things,” he told me.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“How… how do you know…” I said, however I could not bring myself to finish saying that thought aloud.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“How do I know he is guilty. I went to question him, and at first, everything was going well. He answered the basic questions… however… he got… so nervous once I began to ask some of the harder questions. He told me to get out of his house… and he told me to leave quite rudely several times,” John said, sadness clear in his voice.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“John, please do not continue if this upsets you,” I said to him.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“I am a man of justice, Henry, and if our friend… has broken that justice, then I shall do my duty as a man of justice, and I shall continue my report. Hastie told me to leave quite rudely, and after that, I heard him talking to himself. He did not give me an alibi, and regarding the way he acted, I would say I have seen it a million times with those guilty of crimes. Adding all of this information, plus the information you have given me, at the current time, I would like to place Hastie as our prime suspect,” John said to me. I nodded my head.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“That sounds like a good plan. However…” I said. I wished to tell John about how the murderer had… acted in quite a romantic manner towards me, however I felt rather embarrassed, espials considering my rather odd dream.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“What is it, Henry?” John asked. I sighed.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“The murderer… I mean Hastie had been… acting romantically towards me. They had been following me, and making romantic moves towards me,” I admitted to John. John’s face turned red.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Did they make any… um… other advances on you?” he asked, and I felt my face go red.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“God no! Nothing happened! The man was insane, and I knew that well enough to make sure to stay my distance!” I said, waving my hands around frantically. John sighed a breath of relief.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Thank goodness. Henry, we have to have him arrested as soon as possible. I shall notify the police as soon as I leave here,” John said to me.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“John, why did this have to happen? What motive did Hastie have to do this now? Why did he… how could he…” I said, before placing my head in my hands.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“I know this is upsetting Henry, but this must be reported. I am so sorry you had to get caught up in all of this. I truly am,” John said. I looked at my watch.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“John. It is almost eight. I do not wish to keep you much longer. I know you have other business to attend to,” I told him. John nodded his head.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“You are right. I should be on my way. Forgive me please for bothering you for so long. I shall report this to the police tomorrow morning,” John said. I stood up, and held out my hand.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Have a good evening, John,” I said to him. He shook my hand.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“I shall try. Please try and get some rest, Henry,” he said. John then stood up, and made his way towards the front door. He smiled sadly at me before leaving the house. I sighed, and made my way to the bedroom. I laid down on my bed, not bothering to change.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“How could things have gone this wrong?!” I thought to myself. “If only my research had worked better! If only my experiments had not failed! I could have helped save Hastie!” I thought to myself. I shock my head. It was too late now. My work had failed, and now… now one of my closest friends was going to be convicted of multiples of murders. I closed my eyes, letting tears fall from them, and sobbed myself into a night full of nightmares.</em>
  </p>
</blockquote>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. Events Of: August 20, 1:00 pm – 4:00, 1887:</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p></p><blockquote>
  <p>
    <em>The days between this entry and the previous one had been extremely hard. Attempting to gather all of our evidence, as well as statements from all the witnesses, and bringing all of this information into a court office was hard. Not only because it was difficult for us to find a court house that would see us about this case, but because of the fact that both John and I knew that by doing this, we were sending one of our closest friends to his death.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>August 20<sup>th</sup> was the day in which we had to tell our other friends about the case. It was also the day that Hastie was set to be arrested. John and I had planned this, of course. We made sure that even if one of our friends would attempt to inform Hastie that we knew he was the murderer, there would be no time. Neither of us took any pleasure from this plan, however it was the only plan we had to ensure that Hastie was placed behind bars. I would myself wondering many times while I waited for our friends if this was the right plan. Perhaps we were too quick to assume that Hastie was the murder? Perhaps Hastie was innocent. Perhaps there was another person in the picture that John and I had not noticed. However, these ideas were foolish, and I knew that in my heart. All the evidence pointed towards Hastie. I was deep in thought when I heard a knock on the door.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Henry?” I heard John call. “Everyone is here with me. Please open the door,” John called to me. I nodded my head, not fully knowing why I did this, considering the fact that no one would see it, and walked to open the door. Once I opened the door, I saw the faces of all my friends. Everyone with the exception of Hastie.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Henry. Is everything alright? Why did you call us all here?” Lisa asked me.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Please have a seat,” was all I could say as a response.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“This is about the murderer, ain’t it?!” Lucy screamed. “Did you find him?!” she yelled at me.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“We did,” John replied for me.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“You did?” everyone in the room shouted.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Who is it?” Richard asked. I sighed, and looked towards John, my eyes pleading him to speak for me, and yet knowing that it was selfish for me to force him to reveal Hastie’s guilt. John nodded at me, signaling for me to reveal the information that we had called everyone here to hear.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Hastie is the murderer,” I said, seeing no point in sugarcoating the truth. Everyone stared at me, their horror and shock clear.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Henry, please tell me this is some joke. Please,” Lisa said, shaking her head.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“That… that cannot be true!” Richard yelled. He turned to face John. “John! Tell me he is lying! Tell me this is some joke he and Hastie pulled you into!” he yelled at his cousin. John shock his head sadly.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“It is no joke, and it is no lie. Hastie is the murderer, and he is to be arrested today at three in the afternoon,” John explained.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“That monster! We trusted him, and he killed my sister!” Lucy screamed out. Lisa hugged her as she began to sob into Lisa’s shoulder.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Why?” Lisa asked me.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“We believe that the murder of Lucy’s sister was a trial, and that he wished to gather revenge on the board of governors for rejecting a proposal he had. We believe he took up a job as a morgue manager as a cover, and he made up a lie about being married and having a wife that was with child to hide that fact that he now had easy access to his victim’s bodies. We are still unsure what idea he pitched to the board, however we know that it was rejected. Hastie has no alibi, and did not cooperate with us when he attempted to question him,” I explained. Everyone was either sobbing, shaking, or staring in shock. I did not blame them, as I could hardly believe the words I spoke as well. I felt as though it was someone else speaking, and I was hearing this news as well.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“I hope they end his life,” Lucy hissed.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Lucy! That is not a kind thing to say!” Lisa cried.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Not kind?! He murdered my sister as some sort of sick trial run! He killed her for no good reason! He is a monster! Never mind the fact that he could have gone after your father!” Lucy screamed at Lisa.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Stop this! Please! Fighting amongst ourselves will not help us. If anything, we should be closer today than ever!” John yelled.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“John, will he be put on death row?” Richard asked. John sighed. I stared at John as well. I had been wondering this, but had not the stomach to ask. John sighed.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Yes. There is a small chance that he will not be placed on death row, however it is more likely than not that he shall be put on death row,” John explained.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“What does his wife think?” Lucy asked. John and I both blushed.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Well…” he started.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“You see…” I added.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Um…” John said.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Just spit it out!” Lucy yelled.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Hastie is gay!” Richard yelled out. Everyone stared at him.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“How did you know?” John asked. Richard looked at us all.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“What?! You all honestly never noticed?! John! He would flirt with you all the time!” Richard exclaimed. I could see John’s face growing redder.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“E… enough! T… that is not a concern! W… what is important is that he does not have a wife. It was simply a cover story,” John interjected.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“I… I don’t think I should remain here any longer,” Lucy whispered.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“I should go with her,” Lisa said. “I still cannot believe that Hastie was the murderer,” Lisa whispered. Both stood up, and made their way to the front door.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Henry, find Hastie. Make sure that he is put on death row,” Lucy demanded.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“I will,” I said to her. I had to. Even though he was my old friend, he was her sister’s killer, not to mention the fact that he murdered so many other people. Lucy nodded at me, and she and Lisa then left the house.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“How long have you both known this information?” Richard asked us both. I sighed, and so did John.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“I suppose we were suspicious, however we only knew last month that Hastie was the murderer,” John explained. Richard nodded.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Lucy and Lisa seemed quite upset, though that is too be expected. I cannot say that I am not unsettled by this news, however I never really liked Hastie all that much,” Richard said, his voice monotone. John gave a weak laugh.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“You never like anyone all that much,” he joked, attempting to lighten the mood. It did not work all that well, however I could hardly blame him for his attempts. John checked his watch.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“It is nearly two. I cannot believe how fast time flies,” he said. I nodded my head.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Despite the tragedies that have happened this year, the year appears to be going by quite quickly,” I commented.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“I have to leave, unfortunately. I would love to be there when they bring Hastie in, however I must watch my siblings tonight,” Richard told us.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“That is fine. We shall contact you as soon as he is in custody,” I promised him.  </em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Thank you, Henry. Thank you, John,” Richard said to us.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“You deserve to know,” John replied. Richard stood up, and made his way towards the front door.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Henry. John. Stay safe, will you? You never know what kind of verdict they will give Hastie. If he walks, then it is quite possible he shall attempt to come after you, and attempt to get revenge on you both for turning him in for his crimes. If you ever need any sort of assistance, please let me know,” Richard warned us. I felt my heart begin to beat faster in my chest, a tad bit of fear coursing through my veins. I had not considered that fact that Hastie may be acquitted of his charges, and may set his sights on having John or I as his next victim. Possibly both of us. I felt foolish for believing that he would simply be placed in prison, and then executed, and we would no longer have to fear him, and yet I could not help but still have a small part of me believing that lie.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“We shall make sure to contact you if something goes wrong,” John said.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Goodbye, John. Goodbye, Henry,” Richard said to us before leaving my manor.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“John… what if he is right? What could happen to us if Hastie is acquitted of his charges?” I asked. John placed his hand on my shoulder.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“He will not be acquitted. Henry, we have quite a lot of evidence, and believe me when I tell you that the evidence we have will be enough to put him in prison, and put him on death row,” John promised me.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“But what happens if he does somehow escape from the prison he is being held in?” I asked. Fear and worry was beginning to consume me.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Henry! There is no need to worry! I swear that there is no way that Hastie could ever get out!” John swore to me.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“John…” I began, however John placed his hands on my shoulders, staring me right in the eyes.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Henry, nothing bad is going to happen! Hastie will pay dearly for his crimes, and we shall sleep soundly,” John said to me, looking me deep in the eyes. I stared at him, looking into his eyes. He looks so terribly serious, and I knew that he was certain that Hastie would never harm another soul again. I wished to have the same certainty in my eyes, however I could not seem to force myself to believe the words that John was saying.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Thank you, John,” was all I could say. I would not lie to my friend, however I did not wish to cause his certainty to waver as well.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Henry… it is almost time,” John said. He took a deep breath. As did I. Even though we both knew we were doing the right thing, and we both knew that there was no turning back, both of us wished that life had turned out differently.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“We should head out,” I suggested. John turned towards the door, beginning to walk towards it, however he stopped in his tracks.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Henry, do you think that there was anything we could have done to prevent Hastie from turning out this way?” John asked me.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“John, I may not know much, but I know this. The monster that Hastie has turned into is neither of our faults,” I said to him. I smiled as kindly as I could to John. However, I feared that I could not hide that fact that I was thinking that same thing. I had thought it before, and now, when we were so close to catching the same person we had been hunting, I had the thought once more. However, I would not admit this to John. I could not admit it. Not when I knew that he was already going through so much. After all, he was the one that had to file the report, not I.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Let us leave. It is in the hands of the law now,” John said. I nodded my head, and both of us left the manor. We made our way towards the morgue.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“You are sure that the police shall know to come here?” I asked John. John nodded his head.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“They will. I…” he started, however he was cut off by a large group of policemen and policewomen rushing towards us.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“We shall need you two gentlemen to move out of the way, in case things go south,” they told us. I looked towards John. Go south? What by god was that supposed to mean?! John quickly grabbed my arm, and rushed me towards a group of bushes. The police knocked on the door to the morgue.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“This is the police! Please open the door, and come out of the house with your hands above your head!” a different police office called.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Arrest?” I could hear Hastie call back. “For what?” he yelled. I saw the door open, and watched as he walked out of the house, hands raised above his head.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“You are wanted for multiple homicide,” the police officer responded.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Homicide?!” Hastie cried. “I have never killed anyone! Ask my friends! They can prove me innocent!” Hastie yelled. John stood up, and moved away from the bushed in which we were hiding.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“John!” I cried out, before placing my hands over my mouth. I mentally cursed myself for being so foolish. Knowing that Hastie would already know I was there, I stepped out from behind the bushes.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Enough of this act, Hastie. Go with them quietly,” John said, using the same tone he did with all the other people he had proven guilty.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“John?! I… I never hurt anyone! You have to believe me! W… we are friends!” Hastie cried out. He then looked at me, betrayal and hurt clear on his face. I could not bare to face him.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“I am so sorry, Hastie, but the evidence points to you. Please, do not make a scene!” I pleaded him. The last thing we needed was for Hastie to make a scene.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Henry?! Y… you do not honestly believe that I killed people, do you?” he asked me. I could not bare to answer him. I wanted to say that I did not believe it, and that this would all be over soon, and that things could go back to the way they were before all this madness; however, I knew that would be a lie.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Drop to your knees, and place your hands on your head!” the police officer from before yelled. I turned away, covering my ears as the officer read Hastie his rights. Wait? Not the officer? John?! John was reading his rights to him! How was he so calm?! How did his voice carry no emotion in it, when speaking to someone we were friends with?! How?!</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>After the police officers left the morgue, John and I remained there.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“John. How could you be so calm while reading his rights?” I asked, unable to stop myself. John stared off into the distance, not looking at me.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“He is a monster, Henry. He may have acted as our friend; however, he is a monster, and I can never forgive him for what he has done to those that I cared about. Though he never killed anyone I was personally close with, he killed people that we knew. People that loved those we love. I can never forgive him for that,” he said.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“We should see Hastie,” I suggested. I needed to tell him that I was sorry for all of this, and mostly, I needed to know why he did what he did. What madness convinced him to do the things he did?</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“You may go; however, I will not go with you. I am sorry, Henry, however I cannot stand seeing him,” John said, still not looking at me. I knew better than to press. I sighed, and walked towards the prison.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>Once I got there, I told the attendant who I was visiting, and she let me through the gates. I could not help but gasp as I saw Hastie, whom was in a straight jacket, locked in a prison cell. He noticed me, and laughed.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Always knew I would end up in one of these, I just never thought that it would be because I was being tried for multiple homicides,” he joked.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Why?” was all I could get out.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“I did not kill those people, Henry. I never hurt anyone,” he said to me.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Enough lies! Just tell me why!” I screamed at him, unable to hold back my tears. “You were one of my best friends! How… how could you do this to those who cared for you?!” I screamed at him, tears streaming down my face. Hastie stared at me.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“I never hurt anyone, Henry! I said it before, and I will say it again! I never hurt anyone! Do you hear me?! I am innocent!” Hastie yelled at me, causing me to flinch.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“S… stop lying!” I yelled back.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“I am not lying! You know me, Henry! I would not hurt a soul!” he yelled in return.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Do I really know you? I… I want to believe that you are good, however… I…. I cannot help but feel as though I do not know you. Y… you lied to me!” I screamed.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Lied?” Hastie asked.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Your wife? The child she was carrying?” I said as a reminder. Hastie looked at the ground.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“I… I had… had feelings for you,” he said.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Like I did not know that! What?! With all the things you said to me, I could have guessed that,” I said to him.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“What are you talking about?” he asked me, and he honestly sounds as if he did not know what I was talking about.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“You… you were flirting with me! Even after you had killed the people that you knew I knew!” I yelled at him.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“I… I never flirted with you!” Hastie exclaimed. I rolled my eyes.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Let us change the subject. Why Lucy’s sister? How did you know she would be there?” I asked him. He stared at me again.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“I would never have hurt her!” he exclaimed.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Why did you spare my life?” I asked. I was shocked myself that I had asked that question, and yet I could not help but ask.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“What?” he asked me.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“You were always against my work. You always hated my work, and you thought that it was immoral and wrong,” I yelled.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“I did, but that is no reason to kill someone!” he screamed.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Then why did you do the things you did?! Why leave me alive, when you would kill the people that had simply told you they did not agree with your ideas?!” I screamed back. I then felt a hand on my shoulder. I turned to see a police officer there.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“I am afraid you must leave now. Visiting hours are over,” she said to me. I sighed.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Goodbye, Hastie,” I said. I turned around, and made my way out of the prison.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>Once I arrived home, I sighed, and slowly made my way to my lab. I could not hear Molly, Bradshaw, or Poole, and figured that they were in the kitchen, and had not heard me enter the house. I was relived about that. I did not wish them to see my pain. I closed the doors to my study, and sighed. I locked the doors, and walked towards my desk. I sat down on my chair, and leaned my head back.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“It is finally over,” I whispered to myself, and I closed my eyes. For the first time in quite a while, I fell into a peaceful slumber. <br/></em>
  </p>
</blockquote>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0013"><h2>13. Events Of: September 29, 12:00 pm – 6:00 pm, 1886:</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p></p><blockquote>
  <p>
    <em>The month had been going well. Well, as good as one’s month can go when that person knows that they were the reason their friend was going to be killed.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>Yes. Hastie’s verdict had already been announced. From the rumors I had heard, his trail was one of the shortest trails in quite some time. The jury had found him guilty, and they did not take long to decide their verdict. Hastie’s lawyer had a difficult time find a way to defend Hastie. Lisa, Lucy, John, Richard, Lisa’s father, and many other people I knew appeared at the trail. Lisa had to stop Lucy from interrupting the court many times, although I could understand why she would wish to interrupt. Hastie’s lawyer was attempting to plead him innocent, and said many things that a proper lawyer should not say. Even John looked tempted to interrupt the court when Hastie’s lawyer said some of the things he did. At the end of it all though, it was decided that Hastie would be executed on Christmas Eve, the night of his first known murder. It felt cruel to have him executed on the evening before Christmas, however I cannot say that I was surprised by the court’s actions. The court the trail was held by was never known for its kindness.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>After the trail, we all had attempted to put the whole ordeal behind us. Though it was impossible to completely forget what had happened, we tried out best. We all had met multiple times, however it never felt the same. There were many times when someone would say something, and we would all expect a drunken reply from Hastie, or some inappropriate joke about John and I. However, the reply would never come, nor would the joke. No one would mention it, however we would all know that everyone was waiting for the joke or reply.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>On the day that this entry was titled after, I had awoken later than usual. I was unsure why this was. I had not been anywhere the evening prior, had I? I attempted to recall my action of the previous night, however I could not seem to remember anything. I sighed, assuming that I had simply fallen asleep, and had simply had a dream which my mind thought it unimportant to remember. I walked downstairs, and went to check my watch. I looked in confusion at my wrist, as I saw that my watch was not there. I hardly ever took it off, with the except of when I was going to bed. Even then, if I had spent the day working, I would forget to remove it. So, where on earth had it gone? I raced into the downstairs washroom, and looked around. If I had left it anywhere, assuming I had been drinking last night which was the only logical explanation for this, I would have left it there. Sure enough, there was my watch. I placed it on my wrist, and checked the time. It was already afternoon! I rushed into the kitchen. There I saw Molly, Bradshaw, and Poole standing in the kitchen. They all smiled at me.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Morning… er… afternoon Master. How did you sleep?” Molly asked. <br/></em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Fine. Fine. Do you remember what time I arrived back here?” I asked. Molly smiled at me.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Master, you really must have had too much to drink! A man came into the house yesterday. Odd fellow he was. Anyways, he said that you were quite drunk, and that John was placing you in your resting quarters, using the window that was unlocked. He said he would check on you, and that you were not to be bother, considering that you were in a bit of a mood,” she said to me. I smiled.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Thank you, Molly,” I said. I was unsure whom this other man was, but I was almost positive that it must have been Richard. He was an odd fellow, so I would not have been surprised if he had been the one that Molly was speaking about.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Of course. Shall I prepare lunch?” she asked me.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“I have already prepared it. Please enjoy, Master,” Poole said to me. I nodded, and began to eat, feeling quite hungry after missing breakfast.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>After lunch, I left my house, feeling as though I should visit Richard and John, to thank them for helping me home after my little drinking incident last night. I am sure that could not have been pleasant for them both to see. I walked over to Richard’s house, however I could not see any lights on. I walked towards the front door, and saw a note written on the front door.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“If you are looking for me, I am not here at the moment. I have gone to run some errands, so I shall be back tomorrow,” read the note. I smiled. He was not running errands. I knew that none of the errands he would have to run would take a day. He was most likely going to spend some time away with his sisters, all the while making sure to attract as little attention to himself as possible. I check my watch. It was already almost three! I had not realized how long lunch, and walking here, had taken! I sighed, and made my way over to John’s house.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>Once I arrived there, I made sure to check the door for a note, hoping and praying that John was there. I really did wish to thank them both, and wished to do it as soon as possible, in case I had said some things while I was drunk that were rude. I knew there was a chance I had, and I did not wish to ruin the way they saw me because of my actions. I saw no note, and knocked on the door.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Hello?” I heard John call from inside the house.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“John. It is me. Henry,” I called back. John opened the door.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Henry. What a pleasant surprise! Please do come in!” he said, and I smiled. I walked into his house, and sat down on the couch.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>We talked for quite some time, and after about an hour, I smiled at John.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“John, I… I would like to apologize for my actions yesterday,” I said. “You are a good man to be so kind to me, but I really should not have acted the way I did,” I apologized. John stared at me, confused.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“What on earth are you talking about?” he asked me. I smiled apologetically.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“There is no need to lie. I know how you and Richard helped me get back home while I was drunk, and I cannot thank you enough for your help. Although, you could have left my watch on!” I said, adding a joke at the end to attempt to lighten the mood. John’s face did not hold any less concern. If anything, it held more.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Henry… I am not sure what you think happened, but… but I never helped you home. Neither did Richard. Richard left with his sisters last night. We had attempted to call you, but someone else picked up, and said that you were working late, and that you sent your best wishes to Richard and his sisters,” he said to me.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Who answered the phone?” I asked. John shrugged his shoulders.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“It was a man’s voice. Gruffer than yours, or Poole’s voice. It did not sound like Bradshaw. I had assumed it was another scientist that you had over. He knew quite a lot about your work, and said you were attempting to restart your last project,” John said to me. He looked at me, concern obvious in his face. “What is wrong, Henry?” he asked me. I shook my head.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Nothing,” I lied. I stood up. “I should head home now,” I said him. John grabbed my arm, standing up as well.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Henry, if something is wrong, tell me!” he demanded. I shook my head, because honestly, I wished to believe that nothing was wrong.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Nothing is wrong. Honestly. I simply wish to continue my work,” I lied again. John nodded, though he did not look convinced. I smiled as kindly and innocently as I could, and then left his house. I ran home faster than I had even ran before. I was unsure why, however I felt something was terribly wrong. I opened the door to my manor.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Master? Is something wrong?” Poole asked me, sensing my panic.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“I am fine. I… I simply lost something,” I lied, before racing upstairs. I checked my room, making sure that nothing of greater value was missing. Had someone attempted to rob me? Nothing appeared to be missing from my room, and I checked everywhere else that I usually kept anything of value that was worth stealing. Nothing was missing, and nothing had been moved. Whoever the figure was, robbery was not their motive for creating their lies. Then… what had been? I sighed. I was being paranoid. John and Richard could have simply been playing tricks on me. Lisa and Lucy even may have gotten bored, and thought it would be amusing to bother me like this. However… it seemed like a cruel prank, considering what we all had gone through. I felt as though my friends would not have done something like this. Not so soon after… everything that had happened. I checked my watch. It was five. I had been looking around my house for an hour, and I had found nothing. Most likely, that was all I would find. Perhaps the thief, or thief to be, had attempted to rob me, drugging me, and then lying to Molly, Poole, and Bradshaw. Perhaps when they had been called by John, it caused them fear, and they had abandoned their plans to rob my manor.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Master?” Poole called to me.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Yes?” I called back.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Your guest, the odd one, had told us not to clean the guest bathroom, considering the fact that you had left something important there. I was wondering if you had collected your item, and wished for the guest bathroom to be cleaned?” he asked me. Something important?</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“I… I shall go there right away!” I called, before running towards the guest bathroom. Once I got there, I could see a light was left on in the room. I opened the door, and had to stop myself from screaming when I saw the gruesome sight that laid before me.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>There, sitting in the corner of the bathroom, laid my cane. My cane that I had used before, when my experiment had first failed. For a few months, my leg had been acting quite strangely, and it had been causing me quite a bit of pain when I would put weight on it. I used the cane for about three months I would say, until December. It was during that month that I had left my cane… where had I left it? I could not seem to place where I had left it. It… it had not been in the guest bathroom, but where had I left it? I shook my head. That did not matter. What mattered was the substance that covered the cane.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>Blood. I knew it from the moment I saw the cane. I recognized it all too well. Crimson red blood dripped off of the cane. My cane. How had it gotten on there though? What had happened? I looked towards the mirror, attempting to distract myself from the bloody cane, and noticed a small flashlight. I stared at it, confused. It was ultra-violet, or something like that. It was used to see blood that may not be easy to spot. What was it doing here though? A sickening thought crossed my mind, and I trembled as I reached for the flashlight. I turned it on, and pointed it at the mirror. I held back another scream as I saw what was covering the mirror.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>Even more blood. It was everywhere. The mirror was covered in it. However, it was not random. The blood spelled out a message.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Looks like I finished the job, dearest Henry. Check under the sink,” read the message. I scrambled to open the doors to the cabinets that laid under my sink. I opened it, and saw a cut out of a new paper article. I looked at the title on the front page, however nothing seemed to be out of the ordinary. Except for the fact that some words were highlighted. I grabbed a piece of paper from the drawers under the sink, and a pen. I kept those there in case I every needed to write down any ideas while I was using the restroom. I wrote down the highlighted words.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Check the kitchen table, then head to the place in which you spent the most time, dearest Henry,” read the new message. I raced towards the kitchen table, and saw another newspaper laying there. I read the headlines on the front page, and I could not hold a back gasp.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Murderer found dead in prison cell!” read the headlines, and underneath it was an image of none other than Hastie.  </em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“That cannot be true!” I screamed aloud. I then remembered the other part of the message. Place where I spent the most time? Of course! My lab! It was where I had practically lived for a few months! I raced down to my lab, and this time, I could not hold back my screams.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>Laying on my desk chair sat the battered and bruised head of Hastie. I screamed once more. How had this gotten there? Why on earth was it even there?! What kind of sick trickery was this?! It was then that I had heard a laugh. It was a wicked one, and one that sounded all too familiar.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Hello, my dearest Henry,” the voice called.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em> The murderer. That was impossible! Hastie… whom was now nothing more than a corpse, was the murderer that had been following me!</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Wrong,” the voice called.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Where are you? Who are you? What is going on?” I screamed. The voice laughed.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“You honestly still do not know? You thought it was Hastie that had committed those beautiful murders. I must admit, I had not originally planned to have the man be my scapegoat, however, it worked out perfectly in my favor. He was never guilty, dear Henry, however he would have tried to steal you from me, and for that, he had to die,” the murderer said.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“H… Hastie was innocent?” I cried. That was a lie. It had to be. We had not sent our innocent friend to prison. He had not died a death that he did not deserve by my hands. It was a lie.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“It is not lie. He was innocent. Never hurt a soul. Well, not the ones you blamed him for. I was shocked, to be honest. You turned against your friend so very quickly. How sad,” the voice cooed.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Show yourself!” I screamed. Another laugh.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“That is a little hard for me to do, my darling,” he said to me.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Why?!” I screamed at him. “You are a monster that got one of my closest friends killed! Show yourself, you coward!” I screamed again, looking around the lab. I saw no one. Not even the shadow of the person that I was speaking with.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“I did not kill him, dear Henry. That was you and that cute little lawyer friend of yours,” he taunted.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“That is enough! Show yourself, before I call someone here!” I threatened. The murderer chuckled. Where was the voice coming from? Why did it sound so close, and yet I could not see him?</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Very well. I shall show you what I look like,” he said. “Go look in the mirror in your lab. I know you have one,” he said. I was unsure why I listened, but none the less, I did what he said. I walked over to the mirror, and gasped as I saw what was in the mirror’s glass.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>It was not my face. There in the reflection was the blood covered face of another man. The man’s face was… actually quite handsome. His features were striking. His eyes were as green as the pine trees that you only see in magazines. His face was smooth, and his smirk was intimidating, but also charming. His lips were a cherry red. His hair was the same color of black as mine, however it was a tad bit less kept. It still looked handsome though. The figure in the mirror laughed as he saw my expression.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Do you like the man you see, my cute little doctor?” he teased. I felt my face growing red.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“What kind of trickery is this?” I demanded, attempting to change the subject. He laughed.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“There is no trick here. Other than the fact that I have figured out how to finally have us meet face to face. After all, your work did not exactly allow for that,” the murderer said, his lips pouting.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Work?” I asked, unsure what he meant. The murderer laughed.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Yes. Your little potion. The one you drank all those months ago. The one you thought did not work. Well, it did work. It worked perfectly, and out of it came my birth. You do not remember this, of course. I made it that way. I enjoyed toying with you. It was cute, seeing you attempt to figure whom had been causing so much trouble in your fair city, when all along, you had to know whom it really was,” he explained to me.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“No!” I cried.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Yes!” he yelled. “You, Henry! You killed all those people! You knew that deep down, but you never admitted it! You knew that I was alive inside you! You knew that your experiment had work!” he laughed.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“NO!” I cried again, covering my face.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Of course, I would never have been able to get rid of all those that had caused you harm without your help, Henry.” he screamed again. I began to shake, tears streaming down my face.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“This is not possible! My work failed! Y… you were never created! The good and evil in me was never separated, and I controlled my evil half! I… I never hurt anyone!” I denied, and yet, part of me knew that, in truth, I was the one that had caused so much pain. I suppose I really had known it all along. I never wished it to be true, however I knew that my health was not the real reason that I had been falling unconscious so much. Poor Hastie died because I was unable to face my demon.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Demon! That is harsh!” he yelled. I stared at him through tear filled eyes.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“Well, you monster! What do you wish me to call you then?!” I screamed at him. The figure in the mirror smirked devilishly at me, before crawling out of the mirror, causing me to gasp, and fall backwards. I stared up at him as he stood over me. He climbed on top of me, and I struggled under the weight of the other man. He was stronger than I could have imagined. He was taller than I was as well. He leaned his face towards mine, and I turned away, afraid of what he was going to do. I closed my eyes, but felt nothing for a short amount of time. Soon after though, I felt something I thought would only happen in my dreams.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>His lips crashed onto mine. I felt my face growing red as I stared at him. The man pulled away shortly after, the kiss not lasting as long as in my dream. He chuckled, seeing my expression, which was one of both relief that the kiss had ended, and sadness that it had ended. I could not keep the longing from my eyes. This amused the murderer quite a bit, as I could see his eye light up when he stared at my face. He leaned his mouth towards my ear, and then whispered two lines. Two lines that would change my life as I knew it.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>“You can call me Hyde. Edward Hyde,”</em>
  </p>
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